Meet some of Diamantina's current PhD Students...

Tanya Pike

I’ve been working in the Cell Cycle Group at Diamantina Institute for the past 3 years and in October 2006 decided to undertake a PhD. I decided on the Diamantina Institute because of the exciting and interesting research that was taking place and the state-of-the-art facilities available. During my time so far at the Institute, I have been an active member of the social club, the “Isotopes” touch football team and the education committee, all of which have been fulfilling roles to make my time here even more enjoyable.

After completing an honours project in immunology and cancer therapies, I decided that I was more interested in the basic science involved in cancer, leading me to the Cell Cycle Group. My work is based on signalling through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, a well known signalling pathway that is often mutated in a number of cancers, including melanoma and colorectal cancer. My project focuses on the MEK protein and a novel isoform of MEK which causes cells to delay entry into mitosis. How and why this occurs is the basis of my studies. I’ve presented my research at a number of local and interstate conferences including the Cell Cycle Workshop, the Lorne Cancer Conference and the Hunter Cell Biology Meeting. In the future I hope to take up a post-doctoral position overseas, indulging my love of travel and visiting new places, as well as continuing my research and interest in cancer and cell biology.

Sam Fiorenza

It is odd how even though science exists in such an objective framework I am yet to experience a wider range of emotions than what I have felt during my PhD. It is the highest of highs and lowest of lows. In a PhD you have complete control over what you do, which means when your motivation is low you have to dig deep and keep going. However, when your experiments are working well and you have moments of intellectual clarity, there is little that can stop you from spending time in the lab or talking science with colleagues – and there are always plenty of people to talk to at the Diamantina Institute!

I think it is also important to have a long term outlook and a reason for doing a PhD. I am doing a combined medical degree and PhD (an MBBS/PhD), so my outlook has always been towards better health outcomes. I always had a keen, existential interest in cancer. Furthermore, I found the idea of employing the immune system to fight cancer really appealing. So, an opportunity to be a student under Professor Ian Frazer, arguably Australia’s most successful clinician-scientist, was too good to refuse. Now, my project looks at how inflammation enhances the normal function of the immune system, with the expectation being that this work can be used for the treatment of cancer and chronic viral infection.

Beyond my own project, one of the great things about being at the Diamantina Institute is the entire institute is focussed on translational research. Consequently, there are always scientists working on fascinating clinical problems, many of them working directly with patients at the hospital. So for anyone interested in changing the landscape of medicine, it is a great place to start.

Meet some of Diamantina's past PhD students...

Sharmal Narayan, PhD 

My association with the Diamantina Institute goes all the way back to 2000, where as a young and certainly a little naïve, 3rd year undergraduate student I took my first tentative steps into the highly stimulating world of scientific research. Since then, I have gone on to obtain both my Honours and PhD degrees in immunology at the Diamantina Institute. Over these years, I have found the Diamantina Institute to be a very supportive working environment and I have matured as a scientist thanks to the excellent guidance I received.

My favourite highlight during my studies at the Diamantina Institute was being able to present my PhD findings at the16th European Congress of Immunology in beautiful, romantic Paris, which would never have been possible had it not been for the financial support I received from both the Institute and the Queensland Cancer Fund. Paris was a blast! I strolled down the famous Champs-Elysées, nervously climbed the Eiffel Tower, visited the cathedral of Notre Dame, got to see the Mona Lisa close up at the Louvre and got to try some truly fantastic food and wine! I highly recommend the Escargot!

During this trip I was also given the opportunity to visit and give seminars at some leading Immunology Institutes in Paris, Lausanne, Basel and London. Through these visits I was lucky enough to be offered a few post-doctoral positions and I eventually accepted and took up a position at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Lausanne, Switzerland at the end of 2007. Lausanne is a city of incredibly steep hills and spectacular natural beauty. Being situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, Lausanne boasts an incredible panoramic view of the lake, plus fantastic views of the Savoy Alps. One of my favourite aspects about living in Switzerland is that I can explore the rest of Europe so easily. In a few hours you can be in France, Italy or Germany for the weekend. And they really do have amazing cheese and chocolates here! I can’t get enough and am discovering new favourites almost every other week! After experiencing my first snowy winter ever, I am now looking forward to getting out and about to explore more of Switzerland and Europe during the summer months.

Andrew Burgess, PhD 

After joining the Diamantina Institute in 2002, mid-way through my PhD studies my main focus was to minimise any disruption the move may have on my research. Thankfully I found that not only was there very little disruption, but many aspects improved dramatically, with many of the core facilities that were not available at my previous department now easily accessible.

With the financial support from the Institute and Queensland Cancer Fund, I undertook a five week world tour, presenting the findings of my PhD to nine leading laboratories in Paris, Toulouse, Montpelier, Oxford, Cambridge, and New York. Upon returning I made an application for and was awarded a NHMRC CJ Martin Post-doctoral Fellowship, which enabled me to accepted a position at the Centre de Recherche de Biochimie Macromoleculaire in Montpellier, France. Apart from having some of the best wine, and food in the world, the beautiful city of Montpellier is also situated on the Mediterranean coast, a short two hour drive to Spain, or a three hour train ride to Paris and Italy. On top of all that, it also happens to be a leading world class Cell Cycle laboratory. It wasn’t too hard to accept their offer, I was sold at the wine! So in April of 2005 I moved with my wife to Montpellier France. After two years, my research was progressing well, and we both decided that a few more years here wouldn't be a bad thing, and luckily I was awarded a French post-doctoral fellowship which enable us to stay a bit longer.

Looking back on the last 3 years I can honestly say that moving here was the best decision I could have ever made, both for my career and lifestyle. I don’t think that any of this would have been possible had I not moved to the Diamantina Institute to complete my studies. I really enjoyed my time there and would like to take this opportunity to thank the Institute for their help and support during the last two years of my PhD.

Paula Donaldson, PhD

At the risk of sounding old, I have to take this opportunity to say “I remember when…”

I remember when the group that is now the Diamantina Institute worked from a series of refurbished laboratories that came in three sizes – one, two or three ‘bedroom’! Before the time of the spectacular new facilities that newcomers to the Institute will enjoy, we were located in the old Diamantine House, which began its life as the hospital nurses’ quarters. I loved being part of that team, and was witness to some of the incredible and life-changing science that has come out this centre.

After finished my PhD with Dr Nigel McMillan, I moved to London to take a postdoctoral research position with Dr Steve Goodbourn, at St Georges Hospital Medical School part of the extensive University of London. Living in London was hectic and I loved it. Whilst enjoying life as a research scientist, I discovered a passion for travel and found time to travel throughout Europe as well as seeing much of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Along the way, I met amazing people and made wonderful friends, and after three and a half years in London I chose to stay on, relocating to Edinburgh. There, I took a role as a senior research scientist for an international biotechnology company where my role was to set up and lead a virology team supporting the development of their antiviral portfolio. The company also encouraged me to develop my skills in science communication and I undertook a Masters in Science focused in this field.

But - even after 7 years - the call of Australia remained strong and a change of career direction seemed in order. With this in mind, and newly married to my Scottish partner, I departed the UK – bound for the Galapagos Islands! It had long been a dream to work in Galapagos, so as part of my move away from the research bench and into science communication, I spent 6 months in paradise working as a volunteer science writer for the Charles Darwin Research Station, contributing to their new website and writing their 2005 annual report amongst other roles and responsibilities. It was an incredible experience – if I have one piece of advice for anyone it’s to take that chance and live that dream. You will NOT regret it.

On arriving back in Australia, I took the next step in my change of career, joining MediTech Media, an international medical education agency working with pharmaceutical companies to provide ‘med ed’ products for health professionals and patients. I work in client services as an account manager and while I may no longer be a researcher, I am following a different path now and loving it.

If you are interested in becoming a student at the Diamantina Institute, check out the potential projects available or contact our Postgraduate Administrative Officer on di.studentenquiries"at"uq.edu.au or phone 07 3240 5490.