This March, we celebrate Women’s History Month and acknowledge the milestones and accomplishments of women throughout history, as well as their strength in the face of adversity. We also shine a spotlight on members of the Michigan State community doing research to advance women’s spaces and share their stories.
Cierra Guinn is a junior dual majoring in Human Biology, Genetics & Genomics and Psychology. She earned associate’s degrees in Business Administration and Science and Health before transferring to Michigan State in 2023. Guinn’s primary student research has been conducted through Psychology professor Kelly Klump’s lab, which studies the origins and potential influencing factors behind the development of eating disorders.
Guinn’s own research focuses on the role that hormone therapy plays in the development of binge eating disorders in perimenopausal women. “We’re investigating the association of binge eating in perimenopausal women using hormone therapies in order to help women make more informed decisions about different kinds of hormone medications and any potential risks,” she explained.
Guinn originally planned on becoming a nurse and has always held an interest in human health science, but she also began to develop an interest in the role that psychology plays in our overall wellbeing. She began taking courses in physiology and examining the connections that immunology and genetics have with external psychological stressors that may impact hormonal balances.
“Without inclusive research, we’re missing important information about large portions of the population,” she explained.
Women continue to be underrepresented in medical research and clinical trials, and Guinn came face-to-face with this when she first started research for her project; she often ended up in a feedback loop where the only scientific sources were from Dr. Klump’s own lab. “Not having inclusive research is very detrimental to the overall concept of what research is, because then we don’t have enough information about our whole population,” she explained. Guinn hopes that her own research can expand the information available to women on hormone therapies in particular.
Guinn is also a member of the MSU Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI). She credits the program and its director, Amanda Guinot Talbot, as an important support system as she navigates her collegiate journey, and one that has helped her tap into her inner strength and confidence.
“For many women of color, including myself, we often take on a lot and don’t always know how to say ‘no.’ Through the WLI, [Talbot] has taught me that it’s okay to turn down opportunities that might become overwhelming,” she explained. “It teaches you how to navigate the world and pursue meaningful experiences without sacrificing your mental or physical health.”
During Women’s History Month, Guinn reflects on “every Black woman who came before me and helped make it possible for me to be in this field, as well as my mom, who raised me to be a strong woman.” Their hardships, she says, helped pave the way for her and others like her to succeed, and she hopes to be a part of that ongoing change.
"I want to help make research a space where more women of color feel empowered to take up space and ask the hard questions,” said Guinn. “Women’s health has been overlooked in medical research for far too long, and I hope to be part of changing that."
Honorees’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the College of Social Science.