Pride in Life Sciences 2025 – Kamal Nahas

Building Belonging is DLA Piper’s theme for this year’s Pride Month, to remind us of the part we all play in building a culture where all our people can thrive. Our life sciences blog, Cortex celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ people working in the sector. In this year’s edition, Cai Cherry, an Associate in our London office, spoke with Kamal Nahas, a journalist and researcher working in the life sciences industry.

Kamal describes his journey into his current role as unconventional. After studying biology, moving into infection and immunity, he started a career as a researcher. Then came the realisation that he preferred thinking about science more broadly, rather than doing the research on a specific question, and made the move into journalism. He enjoys being able to take a deep dive into new areas and the different viewpoints that interviewing scientists brings.

When asked about developments in the field over the next decade, Kamal is most excited about artificial intelligence. He wonders how it will help our understanding of various scientific concepts and aid the development of therapeutics.

“Already, it’s had a huge impact. It’s helping us to understand the behaviour of cells. It’s helping us to map all the circuitry between brain cells, which will help us understand then how the brain functions in health and in disease.”

An early curiosity about the natural world led Kamal to science, particularly evolution, a route that was influenced by his sexuality, and rejection of the idea of divine creation. Kamal’s advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in science is to be open minded about opportunities outside of the traditional academic route. He would encourage anyone in the LGBTQ+ community or otherwise to go into science because it is so fascinating and can open many doors.

“I would say that the scientific community has been very open minded and accepting and I feel as though I could express myself fully without be without feeling rejected or dismissed. So it’s definitely a welcoming community for any members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Watch the full interview for more.