Women in Research #LINO75: Judith Zubia Aranburu

Judith from Spain is a PhD candidate at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Her research lies at the intersection of biophysics, nanoscience, and immunology and aims to understand the mechanical properties of T cells at the single-cell level. While immune cells have been studied primarily from a biochemical perspective, it is becoming increasingly evident that mechanics constitute a fundamental layer of immune-cell regulation. Using biophysical techniques such as atomic force microscopy and Brillouin microscopy, she investigates how biophysical features of the tumour microenvironment reshape T-cell mechanics and potentially influence their function.

Judith participates in the 75^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.

Enjoy the interview with Judith and get inspired:

What inspired you to pursue a career in science / in your discipline?

I was very fortunate to grow up in an environment where curiosity and creativity were encouraged, so for me, science has been associated with fun and joy since an early age.

On top of that, I am the kind of person who can spend hours observing, reading, or becoming completely absorbed in a thought without noticing time passing. As a child, I constantly wondered how things worked, and I naturally connected ideas and patterns, which made me a quick learner.

Although I was fascinated by everything from physics and life sciences to history and philosophy, over time, I realised that my qualities aligned well with scientific research. It was a field where curiosity, creativity, and deep thinking were not only encouraged, but essential, and that is where I began to thrive the most.

Who are your role models?

There are many people I admire, whether because of their resilience, courage, kindness, creativity, or unique way of thinking. I can mention big names such as Katalin Karikó for her perseverance, humility, and dedication to science, or Malala Yousafzai for her courage and commitment to education and equality.

But at the end of the day, the people who have influenced me the most are the teachers, colleagues, friends, and family members I have met throughout different stages of my life. I try to see the best in every person I meet, because there is always something to learn from others. In many ways, those everyday interactions are what truly shape us, even if we do not always realise it at the time.

How did you get to where you are in your career path?

I grew up in Arrasate, a town in the Basque Country surrounded by mountains and characterised by its strong cooperative movement and industrial identity. I was raised in an environment that values hard work and the idea that collective effort and teamwork allow us to achieve more than we could individually. Although these values felt natural to me while growing up, I only realised later how unique that environment was and how deeply it had shaped my way of approaching work, collaboration, and personal relationships.

From an early age, I was very curious and loved exploring nature and understanding how it worked. I was also strongly connected to music, which taught me discipline, perseverance, and the importance of long-term effort, as well as to literature and writing, where the skills of connecting ideas, storytelling, and finding structure would later prove highly valuable in scientific work and communication.

I loved going to school and learning. I enjoyed all subjects, so as I progressed through high school, I really struggled with choosing a career path. Eventually, I studied Biomedical Engineering at Mondragon University, which allowed me to combine physics, mathematics, and engineering with biology and life sciences. Although intense, I have very good memories of those years, especially the team projects developed through the project-based learning approach.

During my bachelor’s degree, I had my first research experience as a trainee in the Surface Technologies lab, which became a turning point for me. I worked with electrospinning for the development of wound dressings, as well as femtosecond laser surface structuring. Later, during my bachelor’s thesis at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) in Berlin, I was introduced to biophysics, atomic force microscopy, and the world at the micro- and nanoscales. I became fascinated by it.

After that, I continued with a master’s degree in Biomedical Technologies at Mondragon University, which offered me unique opportunities, including presenting my bachelor’s thesis work as an oral presentation at my first scientific conference, as well as visiting research institutes, hospitals, and innovation hubs through different learning journeys. My master’s thesis at Eindhoven University of Technology strengthened my interest in interdisciplinary science and nanotechnology, as I worked at the interface of DNA origami stability and machine learning. There, I met colleagues who still have an important influence on me today.

I am currently pursuing my PhD in iNANO at Aarhus University, supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network fellowship within the NanoRAM project. This experience is allowing me to work in a highly interdisciplinary and international environment while collaborating with researchers across Europe and carrying out research stays at different institutions.

Looking back, I think my path has been shaped by curiosity, the courage to step outside my comfort zone, and, above all, by the many people who have guided, inspired, and offered me opportunities along the way.

What is the coolest project you have worked on and why?

I currently feel most attached to my PhD project, as I am fully dedicated to it and it has become an important part of my daily life. Working on the mechanobiology of T cells and studying how their mechanical properties change under disease-relevant environmental conditions is fascinating, as it is still a very young and rapidly evolving field, with a lot of room for creativity and discovery. T cells are incredibly dynamic, constantly sensing, generating, and responding to mechanical forces. The more I learn about them, the more amazed I am by the complexity hidden within a single cell. For a long time, these mechanical aspects were largely underestimated in biology and immunology, so it is exciting to contribute to a field that is gaining so much attention and opening entirely new ways of understanding cellular behaviour.

Nevertheless, there are much earlier and simpler projects that I have truly enjoyed as well. I remember with special fondness a high school project in which we designed and built a wooden birdhouse from scratch. We even took it with us during a mountain trip and placed it in a tree after identifying which bird species from our region could inhabit it based on the dimensions we had designed.

What’s a time you felt immense pride in yourself / your work?

There have been some achievements that made me feel very proud and gave me a lot of positive energy, such as being selected for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, receiving a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network fellowship, or awards for scientific or literary work. Those moments remind me that all the effort and sacrifice are worth it.

But at the same time, those achievements are relatively rare, and depending entirely on them to stay motivated can be dangerous. Over time, I have learned to feel proud of much smaller everyday things: finally understanding something that seemed impossible at first, overcoming a challenge I did not think I could handle, or simply seeing progress after many frustrating attempts.

Some of the moments I value the most actually happen during collaborations. When someone reaches out for help and I later realise that I was able to contribute something useful to the project, that feels incredibly rewarding. In the end, science is not only about individual achievements but about helping each other grow and move forward together.

What is a “day in the life” of you like?

There is probably no such thing as a “typical” day for me, and that is actually something I love about research. Every day is different. Sometimes I start the morning with a very clear plan, and by the end of the day, everything has changed completely because experiments evolved differently than expected, new problems appeared, or unexpected ideas and discussions came up. I really enjoy that dynamic and unpredictable nature of research.

Normally, I start the day with a good breakfast and some reading. It helps me warm up mentally and get focused before heading to the university. Once there, the first thing I usually do is go through the plan for the day and take care of cell culture work when needed.

In general, I like organising my time in blocks, so days tend to be either mainly “lab days” or “office days”. On lab days, I start experiments early in the morning because experiments are unpredictable and often take unexpected turns. Having the whole day ahead of me gives me more freedom and less pressure, which I think helps me work better. Right after experiments, I try to document everything carefully and process the data as soon as possible while everything is still fresh in my mind. Other days are more focused on meetings, discussions, reading, writing, or data analysis.

After work, I usually try to do something completely different that I enjoy. Besides being important for balance, I find that stepping away from science for a while often helps me return with a clearer mind and sometimes even with new ideas or inspiration.

What are you seeking to accomplish in your career?

I would like to continue growing as a researcher and eventually become established enough to pursue questions and ideas of my own with a certain degree of freedom and independence.

At the same time, I deeply enjoy sharing what I learn. Science communication and teaching are things I care strongly about, not only because knowledge becomes much more meaningful when it is shared, discussed, and made accessible to others, but also because being able to explain complex ideas in simple words makes us better scientists.

Overall, I would like to contribute to science in a collaborative and interdisciplinary way. What matters most to me is continuing to learn, explore, and contribute to research that may ultimately improve people’s quality of life.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing research?

When I am not doing research, music is probably one of the things I enjoy the most. I currently play the clarinet in a wind band in Aarhus. Getting involved there has been incredibly valuable for me, not only because it allows me to relax while doing something I truly enjoy, but also because it helps me connect more deeply with Danish culture and with people outside the international university environment. Through music, I have met fantastic people and built meaningful connections.

I also enjoy sports and outdoor activities very much. Staying physically active is very important for maintaining a healthy and positive mindset, especially considering the mentally demanding nature of a PhD, which is full of ups and downs.

Beyond that, I love writing stories. I also enjoy reading literature and autobiographies, as well as catching up with family and friends.

What advice do you have for other women interested in science / in your discipline?

Do not be afraid of making mistakes or failing. Failure is an essential part of science. Experiments fail, ideas fail, and sometimes we fail too, because we are human. It is completely normal not to understand everything immediately, or to feel out of place or not good enough. What matters most is to stay curious, keep asking questions, and never stop learning.

I also think it is important not to limit yourself too early. Try different things, challenge yourself, and step outside your comfort zone whenever you can. Some of the experiences that helped me grow the most were the ones that initially felt intimidating or uncertain. Very often, we are capable of much more than we think.

It is also essential to enjoy what you do. Research is demanding, so find joy in the process: in learning, thinking critically, collaborating, and growing. That makes a huge difference.

In your opinion, what will be the next great breakthrough in science / in your discipline?

Broadly in science, I think one of the most exciting areas is quantum biology. There is growing evidence that certain biological systems may preserve useful quantum effects long enough to enhance their function, for example, in photosynthesis, enzyme tunnelling, or even the magnetoreception mechanisms of birds. I find it fascinating to think that living systems might have evolved ways of exploiting quantum phenomena in noisy biological environments, something we still struggle to achieve technologically. Advances in this direction have the potential not only to transform our understanding of biology but also to inspire a new generation of quantum sensors and devices.

In my own field, I think one of the major breakthroughs will be the development of a unified physical model of T-cell activation. Currently, there are several partially overlapping frameworks involving catch bonds, actin retrograde flow, membrane tension, mechanosensitive ion channels, and kinetic segregation. The integration of receptor mechanics, membrane physics, cytoskeletal dynamics, and biochemical signalling will significantly change how we understand T-cell behaviour. I also believe that the discovery of reliable mechanical biomarkers of cellular function, together with the development of mechanotherapeutic approaches for immune modulation, could become highly impactful. And of course, advances in biophysical tools capable of real-time, non-invasive force mapping at the cellular level will be transformative for the field.

What should be done to increase the number of female scientists and professors?

I think there is still a lot to improve at all stages of scientific and professional development, from early education to leadership positions. Encouraging curiosity, confidence, and equal opportunities from a young age is extremely important because many stereotypes and limitations are often introduced very early.

At the same time, I believe we also need to rethink what leadership in science looks like. Qualities such as empathy and emotional intelligence are fundamental for building healthy and successful research environments. I think increasing the visibility of different leadership styles and role models can help many young women feel that there is not only one way to belong in science.

Structural changes are also essential. Although often invisible, care responsibilities still disproportionately fall on women, whether related to children, parents, or family care in general. Making a scientific career compatible with personal life requires societies and institutions that provide stable, accessible, and high-quality support systems and care services. In addition, the lack of long-term stability and the uncertainty associated with academic careers can make academic development particularly difficult for many people.

I think science benefits enormously from diversity in perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking. Creating environments where people have equitable opportunities, recognition, and support is not only a matter of fairness but also something that strengthens science itself.