By Maria Rottersman, 2024-2027 FFAR Fellow
at University of California, Davis
My research can be a hot-button issue. But even as public opinion changes, science keeps a consistent story. I am a Ph.D. student at UC Davis and a FFAR fellow. I study gluten and celiac disease (CeD).
When I tell people this, I get a mixed bag of reactions. Many people are grateful for my research and hopeful that it can contribute to treatment development for gluten intolerances. On the other hand, I find that many of my colleagues can be dismissive of the need for CeD research, attributing it to a diet fad. I do my best to remain objective in my pursuit of knowledge, while still considering real peoples’ narratives. This was difficult for me at first. Early in my PhD, a professor asked what “the point” of my research was since celiac disease already has one very effective treatment: “just don’t eat gluten.” This sentiment threw me for a loop – maybe the avenue I was pursuing was aimless and unwarranted after all. It was only after some keen observation that I began to appreciate the complexity of the gluten-free landscape and the necessity for interdisciplinary research and robust scientific communication surrounding it.
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