Elizabeth A. Yates, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), grew up in Manassas, Virginia. Her father worked as a commercial pilot and her mother in the records department of the local police department. Yates was fascinated by science as a child. “I was constantly seeking ways to be involved with science by experimenting with things I found outside or around the house, asking a lot of questions about literally everything, and always working through things methodically and hands-on. As my dad was constantly fixing things or doing side projects around the house, I was always there to learn,” she shares. “I entered a local science fair in middle school with a meteorology project on cloud formations. I won my division, which then allowed me to go to a regional science fair in my area. I was hooked! It was very exciting to be around others who enjoyed science as much as I did. My parents suggested I continue my STEM path by attending a specialty science program offered through my high school.”
Following high school, she attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate. She had long held an interest in becoming a neonatologist, so her intention was to pursue a pre-med course of studies, but she changed course to chemistry during her freshman year. She conducted undergraduate research with Harry Gibson, synthesizing and purifying phenanthroline intermediates. “I realized early that being a pre-med major was not for me and I chose to shift my focus to chemistry. In my studies, I was intrigued by all things chemistry and it was important to me to find a research path where I could connect my love of both chemistry and medicine. I became increasingly interested in studying the properties of neurodegeneration after my maternal great grandparents were both diagnosed with dementia. This led me to finding my home in impactful biophysics research throughout my doctoral work in Justin Legleiter’s lab at West Virginia University (WVU).” At WVU, Yates studied protein misfolding and aggregation related to neurodegenerative diseases, with an emphasis on investigating how surfaces modulate beta-amyloid peptide aggregation associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to research, Yates also gained experience in the classroom as a graduate student. “Throughout my time at West Virginia University, I developed a passion for teaching and received the Eberly College of Arts & Sciences Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant in Chemistry in 2011. My goal as an educator was always to share my love of the sciences with those around me and spark scientific interest in young minds,” she declares.
Directly after completing her PhD, Yates obtained a tenure-track position at the USNA in 2013. As stated on the USNA website, “As the undergraduate college of our country’s naval service, the Naval Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Naval Academy students are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. They attend the academy for four years, graduating with bachelor of science degrees and commissions as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps.”
The current focus of her research is to investigate the nanomechanical properties of amyloid aggregation and those aggregates responsible for phenomena such as neurodegenerative diseases and for developing underwater adhesives. “In studying the fundamentals of amyloid formation utilizing biophysical techniques such as atomic force microscopy, biomimetic vesicle-binding assays, surface chemistry of biological interfaces, and adhesive properties, my research will contribute to enhancing the current understanding of protein-surface interactions and biomaterials,” she explains. “Having mentored eight midshipmen researchers who have gone on to serve in the fleet, I am excited to welcome four new midshipmen into the lab this upcoming year. The midshipmen are an integral part of my research program and their high-caliber work and year-long dedication drive our lab’s success.”
Since 2017, Yates has been working with Christopher So of the Surface Chemistry Branch at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C. as part of the NRL-USNA Cooperative Program for Scientific Interchange. “My work with NRL focuses on using short bioinspired peptides and proteins to determine how barnacles use complex amyloid materials as strong and durable underwater adhesives,” she shares. “Our collaboration led to the identification of new sequence patterning in the adhesive that dictates the assembly and displayed chemistry of sticky adhesive amyloid fibrils. Ongoing work now aims to determine the extent of unique chemical patterning in barnacle glue proteins across species and all known protein families. Determining the sequence basis of adhesive amyloids will provide a basis to develop new underwater adhesives for the U.S. Navy.”
Yates has been a Biophysical Society member since her graduate school years, and has served two terms on the Education Committee. She explains, “The Biophysical Society has continuously supported me from my time as a graduate student until now, as an associate professor, by helping me foster skills needed for my career such as presenting, networking, expanding my biophysics knowledge, and establishing new collaborations. As a part of BPS, I have made lifelong friends who have become an essential part of my career.”
The biggest challenge in her career came in the summer of 2017, when she had to handle a major setback in her lab during her tenure window. “A power failure in my building resulted in a catastrophic freezer melt and I ultimately lost over a year’s worth of work. It was devastating at the time, and I felt like my career was going to crumble. The feeling of being in over my head was overwhelming and I was unsure of myself in being able to keep my own lab up and running. . . . I was no longer a graduate student working under my successful [principal investigator], I was the scholar in charge, my career was on the line, and I had to take ownership and face this setback with dignity and grace,” Yates reveals. “I am grateful to USNA which provided me a one-year tenure clock extension and the ability to repurchase what was lost, but I still had a big hill to climb. . . . I needed to embrace the research process of hitting an unexpected outcome and having to pivot. Of course, tears were shed, but in the end, this challenge was a major turning point in my research and career. This led me to new research findings and collaborations, in addition to opening doors for me professionally that I was not expecting. I can thank this challenge for the career that I have today. Not all failures are dark clouds: sometimes they can turn into sunshine!”
“I’ve learned that failure is an important part of life and success. When it happens, don’t take it personally and don’t doubt yourself,” she says. “These setbacks happen. It’s best to learn from them, grow, stay positive, and make yourself better. You are good enough.”
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in her private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Navy or the Department of Defense.