Bambarendage Pinithi (Pini) Perera 

University of Michigan 

Tell us a bit about your scientific and educational background.

Growing up in Sri Lanka, I was raised to be an independent thinker who was always curious about nature. While learning molecular biology in high school, I questioned how the environment impacted health. At the age of 17, I moved to the US to pursue higher education in molecular biology and soon obtained a general education diploma (GED) to attend the Delgado Community College, in New Orleans, Louisiana. I learned about general laboratory techniques and earned my associate degree in general science as a Chancellor’s Honors graduate in 2009. Soon afterwards, I transferred to the University of New Orleans (UNO), Louisiana, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in 2011. As an undergraduate, I gained technical expertise in identifying how gene transcription is regulated under the guidance of Drs. Mary Clancy (at UNO) and Zubaida Saifudeen (at the Tulane Health Science Center).

I then pursued a doctoral degree in Biological Sciences at LSU (received in 2016), with a focus on epigenetics to understand environmental effects on the genome. During my graduate training in Dr. Joomyeong Kim’s lab, I used my newfound expertise in epigenetics, molecular biology, and mouse genetics to characterize the genomic imprinting mechanisms of Peg3, a paternally expressed gene with important roles in fetal development and maternal caring behavior. To find ways in which my expertise in gene regulation could be applied to public health, I shifted to learning how the environment influences epigenetic regulation to impact human health in 2016. During my postdoctoral tenure in Dr. Dana Dolinoy’s lab at the University of Michigan (UM), I strengthened my skills in interdisciplinary research in environmental toxicology. I led several research projects investigating piRNA, a class of small non-coding RNA, as a biomarker for environmental exposures.

In my role as a Research Assistant Professor at UM School of Public Health (SPH) Department of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS), I engage in dynamic, interdisciplinary research that bridges molecular biology, toxicology, and epigenetics. My research-track position, initiated in May 2021, provides a platform to explore the intricate mechanisms by which toxicants like lead (Pb) alter the epigenome during critical developmental stages such as pregnancy. 

What do you see as the greatest value or most rewarding aspect of your scientific work?

Mentorship and teaching of the next generation of scientists and public health professionals provide me the greatest value and reward for my scientific work. I oversee and help a diverse cohort of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows to achieve their own scientific goals. Student mentorship has provided me with endless opportunities for research collaborations and continuous growth as a scientist.

My enjoyment of teaching was one of the primary driving forces behind my pursuit of a career in academia. Within the EHS department, my teaching duties extend to professional development courses aimed at preparing first year Master of Public Health (MPH) students for internships and future professional endeavors. One of the most rewarding experiences for me as an instructor is when my students obtain their own dream jobs and walk across the stage during their graduation! 

What initially drew you to the EMGS? 

I was first introduced to EMGS during my training as a postdoctoral fellow in 2019, by my mentor, Dr. Dana Dolinoy. I was drawn to EMGS for many reasons, including the collaborative and welcoming environment for early-stage investigators to interact with experienced researchers, opportunities to participate in leadership opportunities and scientific engagement, and the contribution to EMGS’s mission to protecting people’s health and wellbeing as a collective. 

How has EMGS impacted your professional development? 

My very first EMGS abstract on “PIWI-interacting RNAs as novel epigenetic markers sensitive to environmental exposures,” was spotlighted at the EMGS 50th Annual Conference, earning a Student and New Investigator Travel Award and positioning me among leading researchers in the session: “Early Life Vulnerabilities to Environmental Exposures.” It was an honor to present alongside experts like Dr. Nina Holland, upon whose request I co-chaired an EMGS session on “New Discoveries on the Role of the Epigenome in the Relationship between the Environment and Human Health,” the following year. After transitioning to my role as a research faculty member, I have continued to present my work and collaborate with EMGS members. EMGS has not only broadened my scientific research scope but has also significantly improved my leadership and scientific communication skills. By making complex science digestible, I aim to empower communities, drive informed outcomes, and link my research to broader public health implications, fostering a collaborative spirit that is central to the mission of EMGS. 

What advice would you offer to students or early career investigators? 

I believe that the key to successful scientific research and early career development is being able to gracefully face new challenges and embrace failures as precious learning opportunities. Build on time management and organization skills – it is important to prioritize your own health and wellbeing, while maintaining research productivity, in your pursuit of scientific excellence and happiness! 

What involvement opportunities with EMGS have you found to be the most rewarding? SIGs, awards, etc.

EMGS provides an ideal environment and opportunities for students and early career investigators to reach their professional goals. The society provides travel awards, opportunities to present science to an engaging and positive group of colleagues, as well as lifelong collaborators, mentors, and friends!

I have personally been benefited by EMGS travel award in 2019, EMGS Young Scientist Award in 2023, service as Co-Chair of the EMGS Epigenomics SIG, as well as participation as a member within the Membership and Professional Developmental Committee, and the Outreach and Support Subcommittee. 

If you were not a scientist, what would you be doing?

I discovered my interested in molecular biology and genetics because of the character, Dana Scully, from X-Files. If I was not a scientist, I probably would have been a detective, or a secret agent!