Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez (University of Gothenburg)
Welcome to The Microscopists, a bite sized bio podcast hosted by Peter O'Toole, sponsored by Zeiss Microscopy. Today on the Microscopists
Peter O'Toole:Today on the Microscopists, I'm joined by Julia Fernandez Rodriguez from Gothenburg. And she talks about how CTLS, core technologies for life sciences, brings together multimodal technologies to tackle shared problems.
Julia Fernandez:Core technologies for life science, that that was a, cross technology. It it is not one techno. It's not only imaging people. I love you guys.
Peter O'Toole:How she thrives on multitasking.
Julia Fernandez:I was already multitasking at that time, but probably the psychologist didn't know anything about multitasking at that time. And that's where they thought that I will be very unfocused and that's really make it difficult for me to go ahead and to focus in on something. Say, okay. That's interesting to know. But, that was me.
Peter O'Toole:And those wild science parties.
Julia Fernandez:We we were doing quite crazy things and talking about the army and, like, you know, party and then science, party, science.
Peter O'Toole:All in this episode of The Microscopists. Hello, and welcome to The Microscopist. Today, I'm joined by Julia Fernandez from Gothenburg in Sweden. Julia, how are you today?
Julia Fernandez:I'm doing really, really well. Just as all the Swedish do, I had to talk about the weather, and it's bad weather today. We have raining and windy, and it's dark. But for the rest, I feel okay.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. What what you're telling me it's dark in Sweden, and we're recording this in winter. You do surprise me.
Julia Fernandez:Did you wanna switch off the light? Then you will see her
Peter O'Toole:at the It's dark.
Julia Fernandez:Because right now I'm in the office of my boyfriend and he have a huge, a lot of light. But if I remove this light, you will see the difference. Anyway, yes. That's the way. It's in wintertime.
Julia Fernandez:Then next time, we have to choose summertime.
Peter O'Toole:Oh, then we could do it at 3 AM in the morning, and it was
Julia Fernandez:Oh, yeah. And you will get surprised for the amount of light you will have in that case. I will not actually, I will have the sunshine coming because this is the east, and it will be a bit problematic. Julia Yeah? You are not Swedish.
Peter O'Toole:Really?
Julia Fernandez:I thought that after 25 years in this country, I was, but, maybe not. No. I am not Swedish. I'm Spanish.
Peter O'Toole:So when did you move to Sweden?
Julia Fernandez:Let's it was actually in 2 steps. The first step was in 97. I mean, I just finished my PhD in 96. I did that first small post doc in in Spain, and then I decide I have to change. And I have 2, 2 pos 2 possibilities.
Julia Fernandez:1 to go to New York, and the other one to Gotham. And I choose Gothenburg.
Peter O'Toole:So why did you choose Gothenburg?
Julia Fernandez:When I start to look at, Sweden versus the states, definitely, I think I feel more European than American, and this is absolutely a women friendly country, where I thought that I probably will go ahead, much better than if in United States. Of course, it's competitive in a different way compared to states, and I thought that it was exotic to go to come to Scandinavia. When I was here, I I have to admit because, you know, I grew up in Venezuela in a tropical country. Yep. Okay.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. I I all my life, I have been traveling all over the world. My parents moved to Venezuela when I was very tiny, 6 month old.
Peter O'Toole:We we were you born in Spain and then went to Venezuela?
Julia Fernandez:Yes. I born in Spain, in Galicia Northwest, and then my parents moved. I mean, Galicia was one of the most poor areas of Spain where you have to immigrate to to go somewhere. And at that moment, to go to America was the the best the best, especially countries that speak the same language, and that was Venezuela. Super rich with a lot of petrol and a fantastic country.
Julia Fernandez:Let's put it in that way. Yes, I grew up in a tropical country. That means I did not enjoy so much snow or anything like that. In the way that when I arrived this country, I was like a small kid when I was snowing or I was enjoying everything. My colleagues, Swedish colleagues, they were shocked, absolutely shocked.
Julia Fernandez:Say, how she can enjoy that? I mean, it's it's it's raining or it's snowing or it's dark or it's light. I mean, one of the first time as you say, at 3 o'clock in the morning, you open the window and say, what? It's 3 o'clock and it's sunshine? Then, and and the summer is beautiful, of course, in in Sweden.
Julia Fernandez:Then for me, it was actually yeah. And at that moment, actually, I was married with a Spanish guy. And I thought that, well, Europe is closer. Yeah. But, you know, when the ladies decide to go ahead and do things, well, some gentlemen that do not understand.
Julia Fernandez:And in the end, we divorce. I mean, it was it was, personally, was quite threatening, and that's why I say I did in 2 steps because I came back to Spain. I went to Spain, and when I was there, just before we left, my my boss here in Sweden, Gunnar Hansen, he he told me that we we why we not write for a Marie Curie grant for a postdoc, Marie Curie. And I told him, why not? Okay.
Julia Fernandez:Let's do it. Then I did, but then I left because I didn't feel well due to the divorce. And, and when I was in Spain, I got to know that I got a fellowship. And that was, I think, the big change in my life, actually. And I really, really thankful to the European Commission to give me that fellowship because that make a big change.
Julia Fernandez:It will have been more difficult in Spain and more complicated to do things. But to get that fellowship allow me to come back in 99 to Sweden Yep. With much better position. Swedish Sweden was the first country that made that fellowship a contract, And then I have a contract. It was my first contract after 33 years.
Julia Fernandez:It took very long time before I just have fellowships and fellowships and fellowships. United States and maybe, you know, my my boss, Gunnar, he told me, actually, when I arrived, I don't know, I told him that you might be a wizard because he told me, you are not going to leave Surya. You are going to stay here. I'm quite sure of that. And, of course, at that moment, I was still married.
Julia Fernandez:I said, what this man is talking about? Anyway, I managed to to get a fellowship to stay and to stay and to stay, and I'm here. He's right. At least for the moment, he's right. And that's quite many years now.
Julia Fernandez:I mean, 23 years, 24 years. And then I went there for a post doc. I came here for a post doc, and I don't regret it to have chosen Sweden.
Peter O'Toole:But you're no longer post doc took another another step, didn't it? So step changing direction.
Julia Fernandez:Yes. I did. And when I finish, when I finish the post the post doc, let's put it in this way, the Marie Curie, at least the the the time in the Marie was, it was a discussion as well that I had with my boss, and and and Gunnar told me, well, there there are a couple of possibilities. One of them is that I will help you, try to create your own pathway as a PI. And there is a the timing you are in is still in good timing to apply the the first, grants, for people, for juniors, how to speak.
Peter O'Toole:Mhmm.
Julia Fernandez:And I was almost in the limit. I mean, I I I did it in 90 6. It's quite a
Peter O'Toole:long time now. Long time. Too long time.
Julia Fernandez:And it was, at the same time, the facility. I mean, you know, it was the famous era after the postgenomic, you know, that the all the core facilities started everywhere, included in Sweden. And there was a big foundation, a private foundation, Kwan Wallenberg Foundation that have gained money to, a consortium for different universities, including Gothenburg University to create the core facilities in the southwest area of Sweden, means Gothenburg and Loo. And our facility, the imaging facility, that's the one I have here, Center For Cellular Imaging. We started actually around 2002, and the project started in 2,000.
Julia Fernandez:And and we have to run for 5 years getting money from this private foundation, buy instruments, pay people. And after that, it has to be over take over by the universities. And then they told me, well, there is this possibility as well where you could actually work in this facility, and the person will run this facility is this, group leader in the EMBL called Tommy Nielsen that he was going to come back to Sweden. He is Swedish, and he was coming back after 18 years, come back to his country. I mean, he had been around the world doing his PhD on things more than in Sweden.
Julia Fernandez:He still are now in Montreal, but never mind. And, he's recruiting people. He want to have 2 people. He wants to have a physicist and a cell biologist to work in the facility. You can apply that one.
Julia Fernandez:Then I just look at the possibilities, and I thought, okay. This sounds good. I mean, my my postdoc was started with a lot of molecular biology and cell biology, and I felt really, really comfy on the cell biology part and look it in the microscope, explain in the microscope. By the way, when I was very tiny, I already got a microscope.
Peter O'Toole:So what was your first microscope then?
Julia Fernandez:Oh, well, it was a tiny microscope. It was, actually, it was the chemistry kit. I don't know why they had the microscope, but there was the chemistry kit because I want to be into the STEM and the science, biology. That was something that I loved. I want to always be a biologist.
Julia Fernandez:This was under the definitely what I want to do. And then I asked my parents that I want to have some something. I thought that with of course, it was very difficult to get light in that little microscope to to see something, but definitely was amazing. I mean, I did not have the the lag that some kids have now that, like, you do in your facilities or we do as well that we left the kids to get in and playing with these machines. Now we did I didn't have that, but, I thought that this is what I want to do.
Julia Fernandez:And and I have to admit that actually I want to be a marine biology, not fundamental biology.
Peter O'Toole:Okay.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. But in Spain, in Galicia where I was in the universities, I did the career. The marine biology was not defined in the way I like it, and you have to do, like, a zoology. And I love Sweden, and probably Linnea was a great person, but, you know, all this catalog of animals and plants, I found that extremely boring to go through. And I say, okay.
Julia Fernandez:No. I'm not going to do that. And and then, okay, the other choice was fundamental biology. Then biochemistry was what I found. Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:Biochemistry and micro and microbiology. Birology. Virus are as amazing creatures. I love it. And I want to try.
Julia Fernandez:I tried to. I try to do a PhD there, but, in the end, actually, I choose biochemistry, and this is what I did. And and and not neither not to have done marine biology, but sometimes I remember that I actually want to be more and it's not because of Jacuzzo. Even so, I love him. I thought that he was wonderful and see him and water and all these things that they created.
Julia Fernandez:But, yeah, I mean, I think, after I start with fundamental biology, more biochemistry, the problem was always one of the people was asking me, what do you study? Biology. Oh, oh, is that with the plants and animals? And it was a bit annoying as well. I mean, I had to explain, no.
Julia Fernandez:I do molecular biology and this and this. And it was very difficult that people understood exactly
Peter O'Toole:I think it is harder conceptually.
Julia Fernandez:Yes.
Peter O'Toole:I think I I I I a good way to think about this, if you're in the back of a taxi and the taxi driver asked you, well, what do you do? It's never the easiest answer in the world. Even saying, well, I'm a microscopist, and they look at you thinking what you play with microscopes. And you you go back to the the microscope you had at home or the microscope you had at school, no comprehension. These are 1,000,000 pound instruments and what you can do with them.
Peter O'Toole:And it's not just that as you say, you're a biochemist. It's a biophysics tool as well. They really can watch the dynamics of real time events inside living cells. And it's very hard to describe to a layperson, the complexity of what you're looking at in an easy way to comprehend because you know, not many people go beyond what a cell is.
Julia Fernandez:But we actually play with microscopes, people. We actually do that. I mean, in a way, we do that, and we love it. And, of course, we play in a special way, but we actually we actually do it. And, yes, it is not so easy to explain.
Julia Fernandez:I guess, I just decide to say scientist. And and then, of course, when other people look at me and say, no. You don't look like a scientist. And then I say, okay. How a scientist have to look like?
Julia Fernandez:And I said, you look more like a designer. I say, okay. I I always take that as a compliment because because, you know, I like jewelry and things and that. I say you no. But I say you don't look like scientists.
Julia Fernandez:And then I always wonder, what the people think about scientists will look like. No one answered me that question. Maybe they don't dare to answer me that question.
Peter O'Toole:Maybe at the next Elmi meeting, we should all take lab coats and go out for an evening meal wearing lab coats so we look like scientists.
Julia Fernandez:And, yes, I mean, we have to have, this kind of but, you know, the smoking and steaming that they always coming from the labs. I mean, they always think that we're mixing things. It's like witches and wizards and sitting there trying in a way, maybe we are. I mean, but, definitely, no. Never mind.
Julia Fernandez:It's it's it was quite interesting when other people doesn't, and then I say scientists, and they and they if I say that I study in cancer, I mean, or cancer, and then, oh, wow. They sort of get that. They they don't need to explain them much more much more than that. And, I don't have to tell them that maybe I don't work in cancer, but I actually use cancer cells to to the tools to working in the microscope. So I don't have to yeah.
Julia Fernandez:Never mind.
Peter O'Toole:I'm just gonna take you back a step. And you said how people say, oh, I thought you were designer or something like that. And if I dare say, you do dress more flamboyantly than many scientists that are quite conservative. And I noticed today you're wearing a ring on your left hand, I think. Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:I do.
Peter O'Toole:I did wonder if that was a watch. It's so big. You can you can actually make it a watch face on it.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Well, yeah, I actually was watching was wearing a lot of watches before, but now for some reason, I don't know why. I feel always, annoying to have something in the in the wrist, and I don't have it. Just only the rings and the earrings. And I need to wear it.
Julia Fernandez:I promise you. If I don't do it, I feel naked. Literally. It's like you will see that me if I'm just touching. It's like, oh, it's not the it's weird.
Julia Fernandez:When I wake up in the morning, I think about what I mean, the clothes I want to have, and what did go with the clothes. And it it is, it is not a ritual that I sit in there watching what okay. This and this, but it's sort of that I need to think about all that, and it's it's part of me. I mean, and I think I hear sometimes some people, oh, this look fantastic in you. I will never wear it, but it looked very nice.
Julia Fernandez:I think it it fit with personality. I think everybody will fit nice with things because when I see people that are so grateful and smart and and you just wanted to do something too, you can do better than that, It's superior to me. I don't do anything. I don't tell people. I'm trying to be educated, but, definitely sometimes.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. I know that I do, and I have done always. I remember when I was going to the faculty in biology, of course, reminding all my colleagues' biology with the, like, hippies or a bit more, and I was more posh. And with car, I mean, it was just like, okay. That was too much.
Julia Fernandez:Or it, it was always a little bit different, how to speak. Yeah. But what to do is that's that's me.
Peter O'Toole:So so staying on the the arts to a side of the silence. The other you sent me some pictures. I don't think I have a single picture of you dancing. And yet you are a very good dancer.
Julia Fernandez:Normally, I don't take pictures of me when I'm dancing. That's the problem. Yeah. I know. I know.
Julia Fernandez:Actually, you are right where I was thinking about that. But when I was given the pictures, I was in the train to Stockholm, and I did not have too many there. But, yes. That's right. I I need some of them, but, you just say, I like dancing.
Julia Fernandez:I I love dancing. Even so that the when I started ballet many, many, many years ago, I think I was too tall and then when you are too tall, you look weird really weird compared to other nice tiny girls. We were 5 to 6 years old. And then I probably looked weird compared to the rest, and my then our instructor, dancer, or trainer, whatever you want to call it, but she was she wasn't a bad person. She was a bad person.
Julia Fernandez:Dude, you don't tell a 5 years old girl that you you are not good. You are not going to dance. She told me that. I mean, delivered. Yes.
Julia Fernandez:Did she inspire
Peter O'Toole:you to dance better?
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Maybe maybe that was, a but I have to admit if someone is telling me, you are not able to do that or you would or this no, that's encouraging me to say, okay, guys. You are going to see that I will be able to do it.
Peter O'Toole:So I'm I'm gonna go back now and defend your teacher. Was your teacher a bad teacher, or did you know how to I I know you're not at the age of 5. You couldn't do that,
Julia Fernandez:but No.
Peter O'Toole:No. Good good for someone like yourself. It's a good trigger to get the best out of you. I've certainly had teachers who told me I was useless, and I'm sure they knew I would just rise to the competition Yeah. Because they knew I was competitive.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. I mean, yes. I I think it did not the problem is that, I I think I have a strong character and personality. And even when I was a kid, I always knew what I want. Very clear.
Julia Fernandez:If I compare to other kids, sometimes I was looking then like, what the hell is going on with these guys? I mean, and other kids that they just cry because I I was lucky in many things. I mean, my I grew up with my in Venezuela, and my parents was close, but I was living with my uncle and aunt that they did not have kids. My parents have 3 small kids, and then it was too much for them to work and to take. And then I was living with my uncle uncle and I did forever.
Julia Fernandez:For me, it was like my parents. I love them, and they passed away some years ago. And for me, it was horrible. But they allowed me to be or helped me to be who I am now. They gave me all the freedom and and and and pay my career and everything to where I am now.
Julia Fernandez:But, yeah, definitely, I could, use this that they tell me you are not doing well or you are not good enough or whatever to not, oh my gosh, depressed and doing nothing of the other way around. Okay? I will prove you one day that you have. Well, I go the I don't know. Maybe you are too young.
Julia Fernandez:You are too young. But when I was, they was doing certain stupid things, at least in Venezuela and also they did in Spain that they do these psychological tests to the kids. When you are a small kid, they do some kind of psychology test, you know, you you have to do certain things, and then the psychology will look at and tell your parents what they think about you. Well, they told them that I will never make it to the university.
Peter O'Toole:To Julia, you have no idea how similar your story is.
Julia Fernandez:Oh, they told them that I will not make it. I mean, I'm the first one in the university from my family. That's right. And go all the way, the only one could PhD, but, they told that. And I I remember that when they told that to my parents.
Julia Fernandez:And and for me, it was just like if someone say something, but, I I have never forgot because I always remember this, but, it didn't bother me, and I saw, okay. I go, and you know why they told that? Yeah. I mean, I realized that I'm like that. I cannot prove.
Julia Fernandez:They thought that I was a very unfocused person. You know, I lie I'm talkative. I'm talking to you, and I'm looking this, and I check-in the paper that I need to do that. I take my coffee. I'm thinking about that after this interview, I need to do this and this at the same time that I'm talking to you.
Julia Fernandez:And for them, it was like I was not focused. And that's right. I will have, sometimes I have probably people have that feeling when they look at me, but the reality is that not it's not true. I actually realize what is going on around me. I'm very much getting the details.
Julia Fernandez:I finish my task, my homework, and everything even if I'm talking and I'm doing 2 or 3 things at the same time. I was already multitasking at that time, but probably the psychologists didn't know anything about multitasking at that time, and that's where they thought that I will be very unfocused and that will make it difficult for me to go ahead and to focusing in something. Say, okay. That's interesting to know. But, that was me.
Peter O'Toole:That's a so give me that so my mom listens to these podcasts. Let's say, oh, actually she watches them. She doesn't think she watches them. And what you just said, actually, she was told my parents were told when I was in the primary school, middle primary school. The final summary was, well, it's like this, you know, he won't be going to university.
Peter O'Toole:You know, no chance. And I I went up to high school in the bottom set. In the bottom, bottom set. But that's what I I kind of needed that. To to to look around and go, actually, I didn't feel as though I was not bright or not clever or not intellectual.
Peter O'Toole:I just didn't I didn't focus. And then I guess looking around, I decided to focus and make getting good results my game, my competition. And then accelerate up and then then took my foot off the gas again at some point, and then put it back on again. So I've got to ask, you've excelled at microscopy and in the core facility, which we'll come to in a bit. So who told you you were rubbish at microscopies, microscopy and you'll never make a microscopist?
Peter O'Toole:Because here you are as a top microscopist.
Julia Fernandez:No. I I don't know if someone actually actually told me that. I don't think they dare. At some point, I think I don't think I don't think my character and my foreword, they're there anymore to tell me you are ravishing microscopy. You don't do it very well in microscopy.
Julia Fernandez:Actually, no. I think there, it having the other way around. I, of course, I did a lot of I was doing a lot, microscopy already on my post doc. I was the only one really working in a confocal. I have to learn how to work in a confocal, Literally, they they they the way they did, it was it was less than an hour training.
Julia Fernandez:I think it was half an hour, maybe. Mhmm. Where they just show me you have to go to the key. It was a Leica NT, very, very old. Still with argon lasers and crystal argon lasers and the stuff.
Julia Fernandez:No sequential whatsoever. The only sequential was literally switching off the laser. I started in the postdoc. I I and then after started in the facility, of course, at that moment, you know, there was not many training courses for anything. We have to learn it by doing it and make trials and errors until you know what to do or not to do.
Julia Fernandez:Tomine also actually gave me the possibility, and he's a real cell biologist. And he's a cell biologist that did a lot of lie and electron microscopy, both because, obviously, each as a cell bio cell biologist working in the secretory pathway, you need to see vesicles that are 50 nanometers, and you cannot do that with, at least not before, with the microscopes that we have. On line microscopy, you have to go to EM. And he was the one allowing me as well to enter in the world of the electron microscopy, and I started to do both light and electron microscopy. And he was very surprised of my hands because I think I'm quite good doing these things.
Julia Fernandez:And there was the same with experiments. When I came to Sweden, my English still is not fantastic now, but at that moment was 0 as any good Spanish. I think the new generation is such much better now in Spain with English. But in my generation, we were 0 in English. They thought, okay.
Julia Fernandez:This post doc doesn't speak English, come from Spain. They thought that Spain was the third world. You know? Africa, close to Africa. Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:More or less like that. And and suddenly, when I start to do experiments because, of course, for doing experiments, you don't need to talk and you don't need you're just prepared. They were amazed with the results. Then I I think enhanced and quite good and then microscopy as well. I I'm perfectionist.
Julia Fernandez:I like colors. I like, to find things, to discover things, and I think the microscopy gave me the possibility to see and discover these things that you don't see when you do molecular biology. That is so boring just to get them banned some things in a gel. But, no. I think there actually I got compliments more than you are terrible microscopies.
Peter O'Toole:I I I was teasing, Julia.
Julia Fernandez:I know. I know. But I love it that. I know you. I know you.
Julia Fernandez:But, that was a good question as well because I actually asked me to think, did I get that? I got some ties. Yes. Of course, you probably get some ties when other people, some user tells you that the you don't know what you're doing and it's, actually the sample or the microscope is not working fine and things like this. But
Peter O'Toole:But
Julia Fernandez:No. I think the microscope, microscopy, I didn't get the same thing as not going to the university. That was a bit too much.
Peter O'Toole:I I'm gonna, switch it. You said your passion for marine biology as an infant, and you sent me some pictures. And this has nothing to do with your studies.
Julia Fernandez:Oh, wow. Yeah. No. Sense me. Oh, you look fantastic in that background.
Peter O'Toole:I the well, this is my new hairdo. Do you like it? Yeah. You are in the middle of the crayfish. They're all these crayfish.
Peter O'Toole:Is it a paella or something?
Julia Fernandez:Well, yes. Well, I will not call paella.
Peter O'Toole:Your own dish or did you go out and eat this? Sorry? Is it your own cooking or is it something Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:It's my own cooking. This is part of my hobbies. I mean, I love it. I love to cook. I think it's like Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:So Well, that's not my cooking. That's France.
Peter O'Toole:That's not France. So many pictures of food and I'm sorry. Drink. So many of them.
Julia Fernandez:I know. I I
Peter O'Toole:think and, actually, I I, obviously, I I see you on Facebook as well. It's quite obvious you have a passion for food and cooking and eating out.
Julia Fernandez:Eating. I I like good food. Let's put it in this way. And when I moved to that's what I'm going to tell you. I forgot.
Julia Fernandez:My uncle and my aunt, they were cooks. They're chefs. They knew how to cook. And and when I I I learned how to eat anything since I was a tiny baby. I was eating anything, you know.
Julia Fernandez:Normally babies, they want only sausage and fried potatoes and things. No, I have very sophisticated food all the time. My palate was, very from the early on and this to the the good food, and I grow up with that, with people growing with good food, always thinking as well, what kind of nutrients you have in the food, and if what you get during the week, that is balanced. I mean, I remember even when I was in the university in Spain, I was I have a car and I was coming home to eat home. I mean, it was very seldom that I was eating the disgusting food that you get in the faculties.
Julia Fernandez:I was going home to do that. But saying so, because, I was a very good student and very focused on that. Even so, did someone else say I was not going to do it and not focus. I was. My uncle and my aunt, they always told me your job is to study and to finish, and I was never cooking.
Julia Fernandez:I promise you. I where now, when they pass away, I I feel really bad sometimes that I could not get some of the recipes they did and things that I have to come up just remember. But remember the smell and the taste, I tried to mimic what they did. But when I moved to Sweden and and I say, okay, I have to cook. I have to do the things.
Julia Fernandez:In the beginning, many times, I was calling home. How do you do this? What do they need in this? Slowly, they lose memory and things. I could not do that anymore.
Julia Fernandez:And and then, I start to enter I I I don't like to cook every day. Let's put it this way. But weekend, I mean and I love to go in the Saturday to go and and buy the food in the small in the small, market, where people know me now. The fruit here, the vegetables there, the fish. Like, I was in Spain.
Julia Fernandez:Unfortunately, I don't have the same resources in many ways here in in Gothenburg compared to if I was in any other city in Spain, but I have found the places where I can find the what you have behind, I just wanted to say, I will not call paella. Actually, paella is the is the pan. I guess you know that. Okay. Now the dish is the pan.
Julia Fernandez:And and just that the Balenciyan people doesn't get annoying with me because they will say that's not a paella. This is rice with seafood. That's right. But, yes, you can say that is a paella because that's the pan and, with rice and a lot of fish and seafood and some vegetables.
Peter O'Toole:And I I think you'll now use this as one of your Zoom backdrops because it is a very good backdrop with your head bang in the middle of all these crayfish coming out of you.
Julia Fernandez:You you look fantastic. You have to have that background.
Peter O'Toole:So you we socialize. So you sent me this other picture, which I need to get out the race side. Again, glasses of wine. This time, white instead of red. So over on the far side, I presume is your partner?
Julia Fernandez:Yes. This is Martin. And as you see, first we show food, now we show wine. This is actually a fiesta of the wine in in in Spain, in Galicia. As you see is a white wine.
Julia Fernandez:We have fantastic white wines in Galicia. I mean, Galicia is in the northwest coast, so Spain, just above Portugal. And then, I mean now with the climate change, probably we will change as well. The time, but the white wine having always the best, call, the one we are got now is called El Rosal. And this is a small, tiny town that is just close to a river called Minho, and Minho is a river that separate the Galicia from Portugal.
Julia Fernandez:And we are just from that city almost, we can see Portugal in the other side, and we are really in close to, close to also the ocean of the Atlantic. It's not really far away from that, where it give a very special micro climb. We talk about the micro climb in York. Well, here, they also have it with the slopes where all the grapes come sitting there, and then they give a special taste, to the wine as well for having river and ocean coming. And, yes, and then with my best friends, Antonio and Maria Jose, that, yeah, that are also enjoying well, I guess that's why we are really good friends, and I have all the group of friends as well I have that we have.
Julia Fernandez:And we go to that fiesta. It's around 15th July. It's always every year, and we go always there. Why we like it is not only for the wine. In that one, I didn't dare to give you the other one where we have, I think, 7 10 bottles of wine.
Julia Fernandez:Well, we're not we were not 5. We were not 4. We were 8 people, but never mind. You come by the bottles and and there is a small, I don't know how you call it, cottage or small houses where where they they they they show their wines, each cellar, and then you can buy the the bottles and drink it. And this one, it's not too big not too big town.
Julia Fernandez:It's very small, and and that's very convenient because if you go to the big ones, they become a bit too tourist. This one is not. It's more the people from the village and from surround this and and become less crowded and more, more like a village fiesta than than a city. I love it.
Peter O'Toole:The, food food and the seafood especially reminds me of where I first met you. And I bet you can't remember where we first met.
Julia Fernandez:Okay. That's interesting.
Peter O'Toole:The first time we met was Elmi in Gothenburg.
Julia Fernandez:That's right.
Peter O'Toole:Organized by
Julia Fernandez:you were going to tell me another place. I say, it has to be Gothenburg.
Peter O'Toole:No. No. It was back at Elmi, which was in 2,000 and
Julia Fernandez:4. 2,004. And,
Peter O'Toole:see, actually, if you so is it so there's no food you do not like. Would I be right in saying that?
Julia Fernandez:Snails.
Peter O'Toole:Snails. Okay.
Julia Fernandez:But I have phobia from them. I can't just not that's the only thing, And I probably regret it all my life, but I cannot try because probably they are very tasty. I mean, in France and in Spain, we are quite good in preparing them, but, it's superior. I can do that. I cannot even think about to take the snail out and eat it.
Julia Fernandez:I will just die before. That's the only thing so far.
Peter O'Toole:Like, snails?
Julia Fernandez:Snakes.
Peter O'Toole:The one thing that I really don't like is shellfish.
Julia Fernandez:You don't like shellfish? No. My gosh.
Peter O'Toole:I know. And now can you remind us where we went, for the banquet dinner? The it got them at Elmy.
Julia Fernandez:Oh, that's right. But I have to say, and I love her very much. That was a decision of Maria and Tommy Nielsen. I was I said
Peter O'Toole:you're not giving the 2 words.
Julia Fernandez:Absolutely. I did not actually decide. At that moment, we have, Maria meet 2 different, she have to deal with the Elmi, and I have to deal with the facility because we started the facility from scratch. I know where every machine is connected in my facility because we started exactly at that time. I mean, 2003, 2004.
Julia Fernandez:Okay. But that's good to know.
Peter O'Toole:And I and in fact, I wasn't the only one that didn't like it. I did another podcast recently, and and he said, oh, and I went to this conference. Now where was it? I said, I remember it. There was only 1 spin, thin, small piece of bread that we could eat.
Peter O'Toole:I didn't eat
Julia Fernandez:Okay. Yeah. That was, yeah. Yeah.
Peter O'Toole:I tell you what, I was the best mate of so many people who wanted more shellfish. So he's like, oh, can we have something? They were just it was a lovely location, though, but but that was the first time that I think the best.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. That's right. Because that's the West Coast. I mean, obviously, I I love to be, I always said, of course, if I move to one country or to one place to another, it have to be close to the sea. The sea has to be somewhere.
Julia Fernandez:West Coast is an ice coast. Of course, a lot of seafood in in Gothenburg. Not as much as in Galicia. I mean, Galicia is crazy for that, but that's no good to know. If I make a party in Galicia, I don't worry because we also have one of the best meats of the world.
Julia Fernandez:Then, we we we can we can compensate this equally.
Peter O'Toole:And thinking of Elmi, I don't know where this picture was taken, but it could easily have been Elmi. You sent me a picture of you
Julia Fernandez:Oh, yes.
Peter O'Toole:And Kurt. Yes. So Kurt Andersen has also been a guest on the the MyPost business.
Julia Fernandez:Love. That's what in the in, in Finland.
Peter O'Toole:Oh, so it's a recent
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a recently one. Yes.
Julia Fernandez:Because actually for quite one long time, Kurt Levas in the Elms and, you know, he was not coming to many. And I think that was one of the first ones after he came back again to, to the facilities with more focusing.
Peter O'Toole:You have the heart behind you lit up in neon lights. And I'm looking at your eyes. I'm looking at his eyes. And if I was your partner watching this, I'd be saying, what's going on? Because look at that look.
Julia Fernandez:It's love. I mean, we have it was a bit weird thing all over the place, the love. I don't know. They they probably lose love. I don't know.
Julia Fernandez:But we couldn't resist the temptation.
Peter O'Toole:Oh, back up.
Julia Fernandez:And you know Kurt and me, well, we're crazy. That's it.
Peter O'Toole:I think both
Julia Fernandez:love each other. My my boyfriend is not jealous. That's a good thing.
Peter O'Toole:I'm gonna ask you some really quick fire questions.
Julia Fernandez:Okay. Venezuela
Peter O'Toole:or Spain?
Julia Fernandez:Spain.
Peter O'Toole:Venezuela or Sweden?
Julia Fernandez:Sweden.
Peter O'Toole:Sweden or Spain?
Julia Fernandez:Spain. Oh,
Peter O'Toole:there goes your Swedish passport.
Julia Fernandez:I don't have Swedish passport. That's
Peter O'Toole:why. Are you an early person?
Julia Fernandez:I can I can never say Sweden, but definitely?
Peter O'Toole:I I I think I know the answer to this because we're recording this for those listening in the morning. Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Julia Fernandez:9. 9. I don't know. Well, yes. I prefer, I'm much better.
Julia Fernandez:My bio reading is much better in the afternoon and in the evening. I'm more productive. I prefer to when when I was study, I was preferring to go to 3, 4 o'clock in the morning than to wake up early in the morning. Of course, sometimes I have to do as well because you have few time to to prepare the exams. But, definitely, nights, it was slow, and, I mean, I still I'm not as good anymore, and I guess that's age.
Julia Fernandez:But, yes, I remember when we were party on Friday and come back home after the breakfast. Breakfast outside. And and then
Peter O'Toole:come back at the army parties till 3, 4 in the morning, and then you're up at 7 and back to conference. Night after night. After I'm not sure. The the the latest generation could even keep up with that now.
Julia Fernandez:No. No. No. No. No.
Julia Fernandez:I don't think they do.
Peter O'Toole:They're far more sensible.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I'm not sure if it's sensible, the word, but definitely, no.
Julia Fernandez:No. They cannot do that. I mean, even when we go out now we have been out with younger people, they just tire immediately or, I think they're drinking too fast. I mean, this is they have we were, like, drinking on a car, of course, have, gintonis and things, but I don't drink in the same speed that they do. Then if you drink in that speed, obviously, you are tired in couple of hours, because they are too drunk.
Peter O'Toole:Not if you're British. Come on. We had a culture of drinking fast. We used to have pubs that close to 11, and then it was
Julia Fernandez:Okay. Let's not enter in that and see what happened in Spain, all these places where we have all these hooligans, English hooligans, English and Swedish and Norwegian hooligans. I remember once when I Okay.
Peter O'Toole:Well, just quick say, in years gone past, hopefully not any
Julia Fernandez:That that right. That's right. But, the first time I went to Canary Island, in Tenerife, we were okay. We told the guys that we were going to visit certain area because it's where the paths and that, and they told me, don't go. Because we're Spanish and say, what do you mean?
Julia Fernandez:No. No. No. No. No.
Julia Fernandez:Don't go there. It's full of hooligans from England, Sweden, and Norway. And you know why not? My boyfriend is Swedish. I'm saying, okay.
Julia Fernandez:Let's go let's go to somewhere else. We don't go to the Swedish. Now well, they they they find it too cheap too cheap drinks maybe. But, yes, we we were doing quite crazy things. I'm talking about the Elmi and the, you know, party and then science, party science.
Julia Fernandez:The fur one of the first times I came after the Elmi, with my boyfriend, you know, I just arrived and sit in the sofa and fall asleep, I don't know, 24 hours in the road. He was looking me and tell me, what's going on with you? And said, you don't wanna know. This is like Las Vegas. You don't say what's going on.
Julia Fernandez:You always know that if I come back from the army, I need to rest a couple of days before True.
Peter O'Toole:You party hard. And at the end of it, you could keep it up until the end, and then it's just a collapse.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's absolutely. I mean, you can do nothing about that.
Julia Fernandez:You just only have to rest.
Peter O'Toole:So carrying on the quick fire questions. PC or Mac?
Julia Fernandez:Mac. Mac. Absolutely. My experience with PC on Windows 95 was more traumatic and, experience of my life in computing. After that, no, Mac.
Peter O'Toole:McDonald's or Burger King?
Julia Fernandez:Neither. Oh, but you said you didn't
Peter O'Toole:like you didn't dislike anything.
Julia Fernandez:Okay. Oh, come on. But, you know, it will be McDonald's, but I never eat the McDonald's hamburgers. I I I only take chicken hamburger. I don't dare to eat the ham I'm sorry.
Julia Fernandez:I'm too portion the food. My uncle and aunt, they were preparing the the hamburger with a really good meat. It's just, and sometimes I I have to admit, you know, when I when I came here to Sweden and they give you food and vegetables or something, and when you come for a country like Spain where we have sunrise tomatoes and things, and they take, is that good? And I have to say, yes. But and then they realize that, no.
Julia Fernandez:This, that's the same. I mean, I cannot eat the hamburgers for either. But, yeah, McDonald's will be the choice you have to do.
Peter O'Toole:Tea or coffee?
Julia Fernandez:Coffee.
Peter O'Toole:Good choice. Short or long?
Julia Fernandez:Depends.
Peter O'Toole:Okay.
Julia Fernandez:I mean, short for the espresso or maybe for the cappuccinos, but I I more than long, I like double. I like strong coffee. I mean, strong coffee.
Peter O'Toole:Pure wine? Wine.
Julia Fernandez:I mean, absolutely. That that does not have to be asked. Of course, I will drink if you see me drinking beer, it's because the wine is undrinkable.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. I but yeah. Unless it's good wine, it's not worth the effort.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. No. It's not Red or
Peter O'Toole:white. Red or white, what's your preference?
Julia Fernandez:Red. Red.
Peter O'Toole:Chocolate or cheese? Cheese. Okay. And your favorite food?
Julia Fernandez:That's very difficult. I cannot tell you actually what is my favorite food. I love fish and vegetables, but I cannot choose one after the other. The only thing it has to be good food. That's it.
Julia Fernandez:If it's good food, every food is favorite.
Peter O'Toole:And you always said your your your least favorite is snails. Gotta say, have you ever have you ever tried snail racing? Remember at all, people used to get snails. They used to
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So how how I do that?
Julia Fernandez:I have phobia to the guys. Yes?
Peter O'Toole:So I remember this and thinking, if I took the shell off the back of the snail, it might make it faster. But if anything, it just made it a little bit sluggish.
Julia Fernandez:Oh my gosh. Did you do that to the animal?
Peter O'Toole:No. Oh my goodness. Oh my gosh. Come on. I can't believe that joke fell so flat.
Peter O'Toole:No. TV or
Julia Fernandez:book? Book, but later too much TV. It's like I need my brain to relax and, sometimes books doesn't allow me to do that. Well, I'm very upset for that. But yeah.
Peter O'Toole:Do you enjoy any trash TV?
Julia Fernandez:Yes. Sometimes I do.
Peter O'Toole:Watch your trash TV. Go and watch
Julia Fernandez:your Right now, for example, the Christmas the Christmas stupid Christmas, the fields, you know, the the the ones they always finish so well with the boy and the gate the girl together and kissing each other and loving forever with a Christmas song in the back. Come on. This cannot be more trash.
Peter O'Toole:Okay. On that note on that note, what's your favorite Christmas film?
Julia Fernandez:Well, I'm going to tell you this. It is not my favorite, and it's not a Christmas film, but it became a tradition. And that's what Harry Potter and after, once Harry Potter finished The Lord of the Rings. I was going every Christmas going home to Spain. And, you know, for a while, all the Harry Potter films was coming in Christmas time.
Peter O'Toole:Okay.
Julia Fernandez:My best friend's Antonio, the one you said there, he's crazy for Harry Potter and lore he was he was, I don't know, practically to see the film 3 or 4 times, once they're coming. Then for me, it was a tradition. And actually, I missed that one, and we are going to plan to see all the hard reported fields. But saying so, yes, love actually, we saw yesterday. It's the field, of course of course, that is one of them.
Julia Fernandez:But definitely for me, still Harry Potter and The Royal Marines is the is the tradition in Christmas time. And and it it remind me to be with my friends. I think it's nice.
Peter O'Toole:Okay. And what about just your favorite film of all time?
Julia Fernandez:My favorite film of all the time? I don't think I have a favorite film of all the time.
Peter O'Toole:Okay. Star Trek or Star Wars?
Julia Fernandez:Star Trek. I'm old. I'm a Star Trek. I love the the the this old fashioned I love it. I love it.
Julia Fernandez:And this when you see now the field and you see we we actually have had on a scanning electron microscope that I kept the console because it's exactly
Peter O'Toole:the same
Julia Fernandez:as the console in the Star Trek. I can't
Peter O'Toole:I've never thought of it like that.
Julia Fernandez:Because when I saw that shit, this is a Star Trek. I I couldn't I couldn't throw it away. Okay. It's it's just a small piece. It's not a whole console, but, yes, Star Trek.
Julia Fernandez:I don't dislike Star Wars except the the modern ones and and to the old fashioned ones.
Peter O'Toole:So last quick fire question. What's your favorite color?
Julia Fernandez:Any color. I love colors. Initially, I have to say a lot of red color, but, as you see me, I always dress colors. I need colors. The rainbow, all of them.
Peter O'Toole:See, I just said side 3, but there you go.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. See, that's the difference. See, I think I think microscopy colors. You just thought artistic colors.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. I mean, why did I have to choose a color when I could have all the colors of the work?
Peter O'Toole:So you mentioned scanning electron microscope, Justin. You sent me this image.
Julia Fernandez:Oh, yes. Yes. I think yes. Because this
Peter O'Toole:think I realized you were so into electron microscopy as well as light microscopy, but evidently, I I I I I don't I I know you're trapped back.
Julia Fernandez:Well, I I I have to admit that was not me were were doing that, but I was taking the pictures. I mean, that's when I were actually I was in Germany in over to to check the microscopes, to choose and to see how they performs. What you see there, of course, I guess, you know, this is an ultra microtome. What you do there is you're cutting, sectioning, very thin thin sections of, in this particular case, actually, it's, epoxy resin embedded embedded sample. And then if you're having the sec
Peter O'Toole:typically 70 nanometer sections, or were you doing
Julia Fernandez:70. Yeah. You can go less. Forty nanometer, 70, depends how you mount. And in this case, they were doing around 60 nanometers, 70 nanometers.
Julia Fernandez:And as you see, this is a bit automated to capture, ribbons, very long ribbons. And this is a special knife that is a bit bigger that allow us to have what you see there in black, it's a silica wafer. Then you just submerge, catch the ribbon, and then this is automatically taken because, of course, if you try to do by hand, even if you are really good, you're shaking and you will break everything. Then you have something to catch it more out to make it.
Peter O'Toole:And I I I just love for those who are listening, I apologize, but it is worth seeing the fact that this is held together by a paper clip, which all tech technology, and it ends up with a paper clip for that precision. And you sent me another picture in this case.
Julia Fernandez:Oh, yes. We were just checking this is the Argo light, actually. We were just checking the performance of a microscope.
Peter O'Toole:Why is the microscope in the back?
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. There's that one. Yes. That one. What is it?
Julia Fernandez:This is that was the PS one, the Paul structural illumination. The lirons and
Peter O'Toole:the lirons. The lirons can see lira.
Julia Fernandez:You can do a commercial. Yes. This is a size microscope.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. So it's got 3,
Julia Fernandez:like Yeah. You can actually see almost the logo there. Yes. I mean, we were just trying actually, her oh, I love her. She's a fantastic girl.
Julia Fernandez:She was only 22 years old, but super smart girl. I hope that she's doing fantastic now. I think she's done PhD now in France. She's back. But she was helping us with that.
Julia Fernandez:You see, she still have the mask a bit that you see was COVID time. And then she helping us on the image analysis and processing and very, very smart girl. I I was I I love to have younger people in the facility. We have I have 3 people around 23, 22 that right now, some of them, they did not do their PhD. They just went directly into core facilities, more maybe focus on image analysis directly, and they are super happy and doing super well.
Julia Fernandez:I mean, I'm happy for that.
Peter O'Toole:I am going to jump about a bit. And I said, I finished with a quick five. I have to ask you very quickly, what's your favorite conference?
Julia Fernandez:Elmi. I mean,
Peter O'Toole:that's Okay. Okay. Missus president of CTLA. Well life scientist. You could chose Elmi over
Julia Fernandez:CTU. No. Well, I I don't think I have it. You didn't let me to finish. My favorite my favorite conference as a microscopist, it is the LME.
Julia Fernandez:My favorite com my my favorite, definitely, when I when I went the first time in 2014 to discussing about transversal problems that we have in the facilities, of course, is the core technologies for for life science, the CTLS. Unfortunately, we have not had many CTLS conference compared to Almy, and and and then you are right. Then the the people on CTLS is going to say, okay. The president doesn't say CTLS. Yes.
Julia Fernandez:But, ultimately, Elmi Elmi is in the top and is in the soul for many reasons. We even run the Elmi for quite a long time in Gothenburg as as but with CTLS, of course, it is my something for what I I I felt that, I can do more than just the microscopy, that that's what were done all this time, where where you can, as you know, in my facility, we have electron microscopy. We have line microscopy. We have imaging mass spectrometry. It's a multimodal, and that's in a way go with me.
Julia Fernandez:And when I got to know about the CTLS, the core technologies for life science, that that was a, cross technology. It it is not one techno. It's not only imaging people. I love you guys. I love you, and I love all my imaging colleagues, and I think our, community have moved forward comparing to other communities so beautiful.
Julia Fernandez:But the idea of having all these people, with different core technologies and but with the same problems. That when we talk about more transversal problems, sustainability of the facility or career path, everybody have the same problem.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. No. I I I agree. So, obviously, I'm part of CTLS. We've got in the UK, UK Technology Specialist Network, TSN.
Peter O'Toole:Obviously, I've just realized, we are mister and miss mister and missus president. Did you realize that?
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. I was going to tell you that that yes.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Congratulations again. Now I can tell directly. Now you are the RMS president. This is
Peter O'Toole:They're tasking at live, baby conferences.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. No. Wow. No. I will not ask you that.
Julia Fernandez:No. No. No. No. No.
Julia Fernandez:I cannot ask you that question there in you.
Peter O'Toole:Then who could who could ask such a question?
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. No. No way. No way. How you can do that question.
Julia Fernandez:But, how old it is, the royal microscopy is quite old. No?
Peter O'Toole:The let's say the old the society is oh goodness. 180, 185 years old?
Julia Fernandez:Yes. Yeah. Nice. The one we have in the Nordics is, 70 years, and I think the royal is even more is even more. Yeah.
Julia Fernandez:I mean
Peter O'Toole:The the journal itself, the journal of microscopy is the is the the first the longest standing dedicated microscopy journal anywhere as well. And what's really caused the impact factors to start to creep back up again. And there's a move in the UK actually that impact factors of where you publish are not so important anymore. It's the quality of the science you're publishing regardless of where it goes. And so when the universities are judged and academics are judged, it's no longer on the the hierarchy of the journal, but the quality of what you published in a journal.
Peter O'Toole:Mhmm. And that's really helping. So now the journal of microscopy is becoming getting to more high quality publications because people I don't know. I think they want to be there. They wanna publish in the journal where, you know, everyone in microscopy used to publish and it's super quick.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. This this is
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Comparing to all of this.
Peter O'Toole:Same volume of all, your nature methods and stuff, which is awesome. But, you know, they get a huge volume of stuff going in. Whereas the RMS journal microscopy is just microscopy. Everyone on the panel are experts. So things just get turned over really, really fast.
Julia Fernandez:But I I I envy you in UK in terms of the microscopy in general. For light microscopy and also for electron microscopy, I think you're working you're working really much as a community anyway. You compare to other communities. I think France is the other country where I see as well that they have a strong, but comparing, I guess, is the tradition in the country in terms of microscopy,
Peter O'Toole:where where
Julia Fernandez:it made that, but also you just say that about the technicians, you know, the technician scientists, so the the the The
Peter O'Toole:technicians commitment.
Julia Fernandez:Yeah. This is like, CTLS but in UK, and I love it because in a way but it's something that we need to think about in CTLS is this is happening in other countries. It's like the seed. CTLS have been the seed to people in other countries to start thinking more. I I want to see in that way and and try to do and obviously, the communities, if you do in UK or in France or in Spain or in Sweden, people maybe will be more open to participate in that because they see much closer is in UK.
Julia Fernandez:And and you and you discussing the problems that UK have that maybe Sweden doesn't have or the other way around as well.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. And for UKTS techno so UK Technology Specialist Network, which is very much a sort of UK CTLS, but it's not just for life sciences critically.
Julia Fernandez:And that's I know. I know.
Peter O'Toole:Physical and the arts. But it's really, yeah, it complements quite nicely because oh, and that meeting will get around 250 in Bath coming in this coming year. CTS gets around 300 people, but that's from all over Europe. And I think most of that 200 odd people coming to CTS couldn't go, sorry. To tech to the TSN meeting, couldn't go to CTS.
Peter O'Toole:Yeah. And so I think there's a there's a home crowd, but then you've got those like ourselves who are looking after multiple calls, quite senior in post, that need to look across practices globally and have influence over the politics of core facilities globally as well. So I think it it it they each serve slightly different communities, but they all interlock interlock really closely. And the the UK light microscopy facility meetings, You know, they've been going now, oh, well, I don't know. 16, 17 years, maybe.
Peter O'Toole:2006 or 7 was the first one we had. But, again, it's had quite a big influence back to our funders. So it's yeah. That that is a very unique, authentic meeting, whereas other meetings like CTN, that's very European. Elmi European.
Peter O'Toole:There's all sorts of
Julia Fernandez:No. I mean, I think every there is a complimenting here. Definitely, I I but it's also something that they have to may think as well to the European organization. Thinking about if we have this more community building in the countries, how how we have to, the strategy for the next years, how we have to do, and that we maybe have to, have more relationship with actually these communities. And as you say, maybe they cannot come to the CTLS in Bernal in 2025, but, and but they go to UK, but there is a relationship there where we because the important thing here is that we don't fragment it, because if we fragment it, and then it would be more difficult to do what you just said.
Julia Fernandez:If we want to advocacy for something and suddenly in UK, they say a and I say b and the other one say c, it's very easy for the big guys up there to tell you, oh, guys. You don't even made your minds. You don't know what you want. This is what they're doing in Sweden when we want when we realize that, guys, we need to work together, form a note, working all together to be able to convince, the national government to or the research counseling to helping us and and be a national infrastructure. You you have to work together, and I think this is what we need to do.
Julia Fernandez:It's just thinking, not fragmenting, but actually complementing.
Peter O'Toole:No. Yeah. Well, obviously, fully agree. Yeah. Sure.
Peter O'Toole:I'm part of that. I'm part of those initiative.
Julia Fernandez:Mister president's here.
Peter O'Toole:I'd say, we are actually up to the hour mark.
Julia Fernandez:Oh my gosh.
Peter O'Toole:I know. Too fast. But I have to ask just 2 questions for some quick answers. They're not quick private. Is there anyone you'd like to or is there 1 or 2 people you'd like to say who have been your inspirations besides your dance teacher when you were 5 years old?
Peter O'Toole:Is there anyone in particular that's inspired you to to be as successful as you've been?
Julia Fernandez:I have to say that the the bosses I have, Gunnar Hansen when I was a a postdoc, Tommy Nielson after when I start my career into the core facility, and Jora Larson that was actually the head of the core facilities where some years ago, they have trust in me. You know, I can be very crazy and have ideas, and I have vision that not everybody look see immediately. And then when you tell them, except Tommy I mean, I think Tommy have, have teach me the vision. I mean, if you have it, go for it. All the ones, when you tell, we have to do this, they look at me like, what?
Julia Fernandez:Just let's do it. And and then they have left me to do it. Even so that they were not sure if this is going to work. And I just only tell them, you trust me that it's going to work. Then I will not say that there are mentors, but there is people that have trust me and that have allowed because if they they were my bosses.
Julia Fernandez:If they were not allowing me because, I mean, if I have that view and that vision and I want to do that and they don't allow me, it I will it would be a problem. And I think I think I was just telling you before we started that in 2008, in the facility, Tommy left to Montreal, become professor there in in in McGill University. And, he was the first manager of the our facility. And I became the manager, but I was the manager of myself on 10 microscopes. From 2008 to now, we have 8 people working.
Julia Fernandez:We have 18 microscopes. We are a national facility in 2 different infrastructures, and we are part of the Ourobioimaging. I think, I have done a quite good job, to actually and I got actually, I will not tell you the person that say, but we were, in one of the very, very first Eurow Bio Imaging meetings in 2 1009, when there was a still prepared sorry, the preparatory phase for the eurobioimaging. And there was a professor here in Sweden, and then he was there. He didn't know me very well, and he say, okay.
Julia Fernandez:That was 2,009. Tommy left in 2,008 in the end. And then they say, okay. And we are all well except the facility in Gothenburg because Tommy and also have left. And we we don't know exactly where it's going to happen.
Julia Fernandez:And then I was there, and I told them, don't worry about Gothenburg. Just worry about what we need to do right now here. Just don't worry about Gothenburg. But that's what's actually I will not tell you the name. The person after that changed their mind, and and he realized that, and he loved me now, and he knows Yeah.
Peter O'Toole:And it sounds like, again, Tommy obviously had a very big reputation, and they were thinking about who could step in. And if they didn't know you, you've shown that you can more than step in. I think more than actually, Julio, I think you probably developed it in a way that Tommy would would you I think you you're different to Tommy.
Julia Fernandez:Yes. Yes.
Peter O'Toole:And you develop it and and nationally led as well. And I think maybe Tommy has been a great inspiration, so I think it's a good shout out. She was
Julia Fernandez:also for inspiration, definitely. But for me, it was actually a release when he left that I could do what I want. And the boss I have at that moment allow me to go in that way when I asked the only way is this. It's true that before he left, told me he told the new boss, you need to trust her. I mean, he he talk, he always have, and a very responsible extremely responsible.
Julia Fernandez:I guess this is part of my education. And Tommy always acknowledged that. He said, I never saw a person like that. You you you are also loyal as well. If you are my boss and I have to work for you, I will do that if you allow me.
Julia Fernandez:And I will do even if you don't allow me. You know what I mean? Yeah. And for him, that was in the work he was doing because he did a piece in La Jolla, Estates, EMBL, very, very competitive environments where people is just fighting each other in one way or another. He really, thought that that was a bear to me that you don't have in others.
Julia Fernandez:He also want me to have in Canada. That's why I took a sabbatical. I was 1 year in Canada, in Montreal. But I didn't like. I love the city.
Julia Fernandez:Oh my god.
Peter O'Toole:It's
Julia Fernandez:fantastic. I'm in Montreal. I would love to live there, but science wise, no. I was very disappointed on my deal. I was very disappointed.
Peter O'Toole:Very different climate. But anyway, Julia, we are over the hour, so we should stop there. But, Julia, thank you very much. Thank you for everyone who's watched or listened. Please don't forget to subscribe.
Peter O'Toole:You can listen to people we've been talking about previous episodes and in future episodes. Julia, thank you very much for today.
Julia Fernandez:Thank you. Thank you.
Peter O'Toole:You've been great. And actually there's bits I didn't know about you, which has been really great to listen to.
Julia Fernandez:Thank you.
Peter O'Toole:Thank you. Thank you.
Intro/Outro:Thank you for listening to The Microscopists, a Bite Size Bio podcast sponsored by Zeiss Microscopy. To view all audio and video recordings from this series, please visit bitesizebio.comforward/themicroscopists.
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