Bissell always emphasized the importance of looking at the bigger picture in scientific research and how it is important to consider the whole organism rather than the sum of its parts.

Bissell never backed away from challenging current scientific dogma, and always remained open to new ideas and unconventional methods.

Bissell actively encouraged interdisciplinary research and collaborations with other scientists in other fields. She believed that cancer research benefitted significantly when different viewpoints from other scientific disciplines were taken into consideration.