Celebrating a career dedicated to science and聽teaching
By聽Jason Clement, Communications Manager, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
听听听
The recently retired Jeannie Mui has been a fixture at 成人VR视频鈥檚 Facility for Electron Microscopy Research
鈥淚 took career aptitude and assessment tests in high school, and, based on my interests, skills, and personality traits, my guidance counsellor recommended a professional or technical career,鈥� shares Jeannie Mui, a native of Hong Kong who emigrated to Canada at the age of 10. As a first-generation immigrant and the only girl in a family with four older brothers, I thought a professional career was not possible.鈥�
Uncertain about her career path after graduating with a degree in Biology from Concordia University in 1978, a friend of Jeannie鈥檚 who was working as a technologist at the Faculty of Engineering at 成人VR视频 at the time suggested she submit a job application via the University鈥檚 central Human Resources department. In August of that year, she received a telephone call from Michael Lalli, PhD, the Director of the Electron Microscopy (EM) Laboratory in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at the time, requesting an interview. Following a final interview with the departmental chair, Yves Clermont, PhD, who, along with Charles P. Leblond, PhD, was a pioneer in biological electron microscopy, Jeannie was hired and began working in the EM Lab in October 1978. 鈥淏esides working in a hospital, the next best place for a technical career in science was an academic,鈥� she says.
The importance of lifelong learning
After joining the EM Lab, Jeannie needed to train in various sample preparation techniques appropriate for light and electron microscopy, including animal perfusion, processing of cells and tissues, ultramicrotomy (a method of cutting 70 to 100 碌m thick slices or ultrathin sections) and the basic imaging of these ultrathin sections by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). 鈥淚 also learned to use the darkroom to develop negatives and print micrographs for the Principal Investigators (PI) in the department,鈥� notes Jeannie. 鈥淏asic techniques varied on what the PIs wished to image, such as regular ultrastructural studies of morphology or immunolabelling by autoradiography, a technique perfected by Prof. Leblond.鈥�
As she continued to acquire higher technical experience and expertise, Jeannie was promoted to Senior EM Technician in 1981. 鈥淚 learned to operate a new generation of TEMs, print micrographs for publication and studied new sample preparation techniques, such as slam freezing and automatic freeze substitution, which better preserved biological samples,鈥� she explains. 鈥淔or example, a graduate student in the department applied the technique of immunogold labelling according to the Tokoyasu method. At the time, no workshops or courses were available for the Tokoyasu method for cryo-ultramicrotomy, so I had to learn the technique by reading the published literature.鈥�
The birth of the FEMR
In 1999, with Hojatollah Vali, PhD as Director and S. Kelly Sears, PhD, as Research Manager, the Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR) was formally launched. The FEMR grouped many of the EM laboratories at 成人VR视频 into a single cross-departmental, cross-faculty and cross-institutional core facility.
As Chief EM technician, Jeannie was responsible for operating three TEMs, training students in sample preparation and imaging by TEM, and providing technical advice and guidance for research, not only in the life sciences but also in the environmental, materials, and physical sciences, where Prof. Vali brought his cross-disciplinary expertise to electron microscopy.
鈥淚 have worked with Jeannie since joining the Department of Earth & Planetary Science in the fall of 1989,鈥� shares Prof. Valli. 鈥淎t that time, there were 18 electron microscopes on the downtown campus. However, with respect to the expertise and infrastructure, the EM Lab in Anatomy & Cell Biology was 成人VR视频鈥檚 only comprehensive EM lab. My research was at the interface of materials and biology and involved investigating colloidal systems and biomineralization. However, Jeannie鈥檚 activities were exclusively biological. Still, she never hesitated to take on the complex challenges of adapting her expertise and techniques for biological sample preparation, such as cryo-ultramicrotomy and immunogold labelling, to inorganic systems. Jeannie鈥檚 technical knowledge and expertise permitted the research community at 成人VR视频 to engage in high-quality research collaborations with national and international institutes such as Caltech, MIT, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and many others. These collaborations often produced high-impact publications in Nature, Science, and PNAS. Without Jeannie鈥檚 contributions, none of this research would have occurred. Jeannie is the only expert in Canada capable of working on both biological and non-biological materials.鈥�
As researchers become dependent on advanced instruments, they required highly specialized knowledge and expert training in the proper operation and use of the research infrastructure. 鈥淚 was also responsible for preparing or embedding and sectioning a new variety of materials, including soft and beam-sensitive materials, clay minerals and other crystalline materials,鈥� says Jeannie. The 2000s also brought a new generation of EMs and imaging modalities. 鈥淎s I became more involved in research that resulted in publications, I was also responsible for overseeing the work of technical staff and undergraduate and graduate students, and I was promoted to EM Coordinator In 2013.鈥�
Teaching the next generations
鈥淲hen I train new users in electron microscopy, I always try to place myself in their shoes,鈥� explains Jeannie. 鈥淓lectron microscopy can be a daunting task; therefore, the aim of my training is primarily an easy-to-follow learning experience with emphasis on hands-on operation rather than on rote memorization. By using everyday scenarios and simple terminology, I try to impart to the students the what, why, how, when, and which techniques to apply for each part of their research project. Thus, the execution of the steps becomes sensibly automatic.鈥� Jeannie notes that confirming that staff is always available for assistance, even after-hours and weekends, reduces damage to instruments through inadvertent misuse or negligence, or mistakes in applying sample preparation protocols. 鈥淪ince the outcome of any experiment often may depend on my technical work, performance and expertise, my motivation and drive are to use my acquired knowledge and best techniques to ensure the highest quality results to help advance the progression of each research project for the students. It is rewarding to know that some of the grad. students went on to have academic positions in other universities in Canada, US, South America & Europe.鈥�
Jeannie recalls something she learned during her early days of printing 3D stereo photographs as being critical for scientific success. 鈥淭hree-dimensional stereoscopic photography is the art of capturing and displaying two slightly offset photographs to create a three-dimensional image,鈥� she explains. 鈥淧rof. Clermont held up a pair of photographs, took a quick look at the two images without a stereoscope, and immediately told me one of them was not in perfect focus. That鈥檚 when I learned that good is not good enough. Every task must be as best as possible. One minor misstep or omission in a long line of procedures may affect a project鈥檚 outcome. This is what I have tried to achieve in my 43 years of dedicated service at 成人VR视频 while working with many world-class researchers and undergraduate and graduate students.鈥�
Recognizing decades of contributions
Last year, Jeannie received the Technologist Award 2021 from the Microscopical Society of Canada. The award聽honours聽a technologist who has made significant contributions to the advancement of microscopy research or training through their role as a technologist at a Canadian university, industry, or government and is one of the most prestigious awards a technologist can receive in Canada.
鈥淚 have to admit I was not surprised at all when news from the Microscopical Society of Canada came in about the Technologist Award, 鈥渟ays Joaquin Ortega, PhD, the current FEMR Director. 鈥淚 knew Jeannie could win this award, hands down! There are only a handful of people in North America with Jeannie鈥檚 trajectory, dedication, and unique expertise. 成人VR视频 and FEMR are tremendously fortunate to have Jeannie working with us.鈥�
鈥淚 have always enjoyed working in science,鈥� notes Jeannie. 鈥淚t is the self-satisfaction that drove me to try to keep getting better in the field. I never thought of myself as a technologist. However, I was pleased the Awards Committee of the Microscopical Society of Canada recognized my dedicated commitment to advancing the development of EM techniques and transferring this knowledge to future researchers at the FEMR, 成人VR视频, and beyond. This was reflected in the innumerable numbers of high-quality personnel that I had the opportunity to train in all aspects of electron microscopy and the hundreds or more publications, many in high-impact journals in life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering, where I contributed my technical expertise.鈥�
Although Jeannie retired in October 2021, she continues to work at the FEMR as a casual employee on special research projects, continuing to share the unique expertise she has developed over the years.
Jason Clement
Communications Manager, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences