A Lab as Labor of Love

A Lab as Labor of Love

By Vernon A. Ruffin, PhD

When I reflect on my scientific journey, I immediately think of all the shoulders I have stood on to get to this stage in my career. I’m reminded of all the people and pivotal moments that grounded me and shaped my career. Thus far, I’m thriving in this scientific journey because of the countless sacrifices, opportunities and experiences that prepared me. Early on, I recognized as a student from Hartford, Connecticut, a multicultural and socioeconomically diverse city, that I was fortunate growing up in a family of educators. My parents fostered the desire for knowledge and its practical use in our home as one of our core family values. 

After attending a private high school, I matriculated to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). I earned my bachelor of science degree from Virginia Union in Richmond, Virginia, and a PhD from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Both HBCUs catapulted me into scientific and theoretical investigations. I always had an affinity for science and mathematics; however, it was only through exposure to STEM diversity programs, such as the Minority Neuroscience Fellowship Program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, that I was granted access to the field of neuroscience and STEM professional opportunities that are often underrepresented by minorities.

Through collaboration, mentorship and fellowships, I found success and often interacted with diverse groups of people with various skill sets and schools of thought. As a result of these multiple perspectives and training styles, I acquired further insight to the international view of science and my role as a scientist and educator. 

I received excellent training from Albert Einstein Medical University and the University of California, San Diego as a graduate student and from Yale University and Case Western University as a postdoctoral fellow. These training programs have been instrumental in helping to expose me to cutting-edge research, equipment and institutional resources.

However, it was when I returned to my undergraduate institution as a professor that I further recognized the inequity in access to resources, exposure to information and opportunities. These factors impact overall student interest and academic preparedness independent of the rigor of the academic program. Utilizing the combined efforts of two separate National Science Foundation grants, I successfully infused basic laboratory techniques used in my postdoctoral research project into the introductory biology curriculum. As a result of student interest in research and the study of neuroscience, I created the school’s first biomedical research neurophysiology laboratory. 

Additionally, I became an entrepreneur in 2019 when I created the Ruffin NeuroLab LLC. The Ruffin NeuroLab, which is a minority STEM training program, encourages overall student development and the pursuit of knowledge beyond the classroom setting by strategically complementing course objectives with hands-on application of techniques. The lab uses a novel approach to teach students concepts in the STEM field, train students in laboratory skills and provide mentoring and professional development.

My laboratory embodies more than just a scientific space; it’s a labor of love, a love letter to my family and the community that it seeks to serve. The Ruffin NeuroLab LLC is a daily reminder of the sacrifices and opportunities that were given to me along my journey. 

Vernon A. Ruffin, PhD, is CEO and principal investigator at the Ruffin NeuroLab LLC (www.ruffinneurolab.com). 

This article was originally published in the May 2023 issue of The Physiologist Magazine.