Dr. Agot Aleer didn’t originally envision a future in science. Medical school, a later passion of hers, was not a thought in her mind during formative education. Then she was presented with a unique opportunity: acting as a translator for doctors visiting her home country, South Sudan.
“I was working random jobs, and I told them I’d have no way of translating medical terminology or fancy terms,” Aleer said. Simple translations were exactly what was warranted, as the medical teams needed to quickly and efficiently communicate with patients.
The environment felt oddly natural: Aleer talked with patients and decoded complex topics with ease. It earned praise from collaborators, who asked her if she ever considered being a doctor. “No, of course not,” she would answer, unaware she had just started her scientific career.
Aleer would arrive in the United States in December 2000. She was part of the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan, a group of unaccompanied minors from a refugee camp. Today, she is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Lena Brundin’s lab at Van Andel Institute, where she explores the mental health of immigrants and refugees.
The path to biomedical research required constant adaptation. First, Aleer pursued medical school, following the basic knowledge gained as a translator. During rotations, fellow students and preceptors asked her about her future. The answer was simple: neuroscience and mental health.
She followed this passion, and it nurtured a craving for knowledge. It’s difficult to develop an interest on something you know so little about, she said. Being able to not just learn about science, but get immersed in a world of learning, helped unlock a desire for more. She sought to go beyond what was offered in class, looking to dive into deep questions and unresolved answers.
“I learned I didn’t just want to be a resident doctor,” Aleer said,” I wanted to play a role in the lab, in the research that can shape the future of medicine.”
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Aleer realized she needed to deepen her expertise and would pursue postdoctoral opportunities and jobs that could get her closer to the lab. She filled out applications, sent out resumes and emailed countless organizations. Some opportunities were promising at first, but the result was often demoralizing.
“I heard it all … you don’t fit in here, you don’t have the right experience, this is not a place for you,” Aleer said. “The words bounce around in your head and you almost start to believe them, but you have to keep trying.”
In 2024, during another bout of emails and applications, Aleer learned of Van Andel Institute’s Inspire Fellowship. She reached out, thinking it was one of those “shots at the moon” that never go anywhere.
“I was shocked when I got a response from VAI, and even more surprised when I was able to sit down with a person and have an actual thoughtful conversation about my passions, research and where we could work together,” Aleer said.
This initial connection planted a seed. Aleer pursued a bioethics summer program elsewhere, but after completion, she applied to the Inspire Fellowship and began exploring the work of the Institute’s faculty. When it came time to visit the Institute, she expected the same denials of the past — the feeling of not fitting in.
Instead, Aleer said she found the opposite. “We focused on growth, adaptability, how I can play a role in the Institute while also gaining new skills as a researcher,”
Aleer joined Dr. Brundin’s lab in November 2024. Her current focus is on technical growth, learning the basics of lab work, proposal writing and everything she gets a chance to participate in. It’s an opportunity to get immersed in everything she dreamed about, Aleer said, stepping beyond comfort zones and elevating her skillset.
“When I leave the Institute, I’ll know I didn’t leave any opportunity untouched — I spoke to everyone I could, I learned everything there was to learn and I was able to push myself further than ever before,” Aleer said.
Inspire Fellowship — Supporting the next generation of research leaders through rigorous, personalized postdoctoral training
Van Andel Institute’s Inspire Fellowship supports exceptional postdoctoral fellows by reducing barriers, fostering community, and providing the resources and personalized mentorship needed for an outstanding training experience. We are committed to ensuring fellows have a firm foundation from which to launch their independent research careers — and to make a world of difference. To learn more, visit vai.org/inspirevai.