{"id":14307,"date":"2020-10-07T09:30:11","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T23:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/?p=14307"},"modified":"2024-06-25T14:36:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T04:36:00","slug":"dr-darren-grice-and-the-institute-for-glycomics-lead-the-fight-against-middle-ear-infections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/2020\/10\/07\/dr-darren-grice-and-the-institute-for-glycomics-lead-the-fight-against-middle-ear-infections\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr Darren Grice and the Institute for Glycomics lead the fight against middle ear infections"},"content":{"rendered":"

M<\/span>any<\/span>\u00a0of us have experienced the pain and discomfort of a middle ear infection, either personally or in our children. While most children\u00a0<\/span>outgrow<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0infections by school age and are\u00a0<\/span>un<\/span>likely to suffer long-term problems, the same cannot be said for Australian Indigenous children<\/span>\u2014<\/span>from one year old<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0almost 100<\/span>%<\/span>\u00a0experience middle ear infections which can last through the early years of their childhood development.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the following Q & A, Dr Darren Grice<\/span>, Research Leader at the\u00a0<\/span>Institute for\u00a0<\/span>Glycomics<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and a Senior Lecturer in the\u00a0<\/span>School of Medical Science<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>discusses<\/span>\u00a0his research on a vaccine for middle ear infections, the Institute\u2019s collaboration with\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Earbus<\/span>\u00a0Foundation of WA<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and what researchers can learn from early explorers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Q & A:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is your\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>area of\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>research?<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0<\/span>carry out\u00a0<\/span>synthetic organic chemistry\u00a0<\/span>research\u00a0<\/span>with a<\/span>\u00a0principal\u00a0<\/span>focus\u00a0<\/span>on carbohydrates<\/span>\u00a0(sugars)<\/span>\u00a0and their structures<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and how these can be used for\u00a0<\/span>novel\u00a0<\/span>therapeutic trea<\/span>t<\/span>ments<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>targeting diseases such as\u00a0<\/span>middle ear infections,\u00a0<\/span>leukaemia and cancer.\u00a0<\/span>The carbohydrates on the surface of the cells in our body and on bacteria are like barcodes<\/span>\u2014barcodes<\/span>\u00a0to an important language that we never really knew existed. The focus of my research, and an aim of the Institute for\u00a0<\/span>Glycomics<\/span>, is to decode this \u2018sugar language\u2019 so we can understand it and discover how to use it<\/span>\u2014<\/span>mimic it, copy it<\/span>\u2014<\/span>in a beneficial therapeutic way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One\u00a0<\/span>research project that I work on with collaborators is the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>development of a<\/span>\u00a0conjugate vaccine aimed at protecting\u00a0<\/span>children\u00a0<\/span>against\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>bacterial pathogens responsible for middle ear infection<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0and associated respiratory diseases<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0This research primarily focuses on the carbohydrate molecules that are present on the surface of bacteria\u00a0<\/span>and are\u00a0<\/span>involved in middle ear infections.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>In September<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we selected an<\/span>\u00a0international student<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who has now been\u00a0<\/span>awarded\u00a0<\/span>The Harvey Coates<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>PhD<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>scholarship<\/span>\u00a0(<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Earbus<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>F<\/span>oundation of WA<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>o progress<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our\u00a0<\/span>work on\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>middle<\/span>\u00a0ear\u00a0<\/span>infection\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>real life<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>i<\/span><\/i><\/b>mpact\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>of your research?\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To most Australians, the i<\/span>mpact of middle ear infection<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0doesn\u2019t sound like\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>big deal but<\/span>, as<\/span>\u00a0it turns out<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Australian Indigenous\u00a0<\/span>children\u00a0<\/span>have what the W<\/span>orld Health Organization\u00a0<\/span>describe<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>Public Health\u00a0<\/span>E<\/span>mergency in terms of the percentages of children infected\u00a0<\/span>with the bacteria<\/span>. From one\u00a0<\/span>year old<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0almost 100<\/span>%<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>Indigenous\u00a0<\/span>children\u00a0<\/span>have the bug<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0in their ears and\u00a0<\/span>suffer from\u00a0<\/span>middle ear infections<\/span>. The disease aside, the social implications of the resulting hearing loss are life<\/span>long<\/span>\u00a0as it impacts on almost every aspect of early childhood development<\/span>\u2014<\/span>speech,\u00a0<\/span>balance, coordination,\u00a0<\/span>language<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0play.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Earbus<\/span>\u00a0Foundation\u00a0<\/span>WA\u00a0<\/span>travel by bus\u00a0<\/span>into\u00a0<\/span>regional W<\/span>estern\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>ustralia<\/span>\u00a0Indigenous communities\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0treat thousands of Aboriginal and at-risk children.\u00a0<\/span>R<\/span>ecognising the\u00a0<\/span>val<\/span>u<\/span>e and\u00a0<\/span>need\u00a0<\/span>for research\u00a0<\/span>to expand their cause, they\u00a0<\/span>recently\u00a0<\/span>agreed to\u00a0<\/span>work with us and\u00a0<\/span>provide\u00a0<\/span>funding\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0our\u00a0<\/span>middle\u00a0<\/span>ear\u00a0<\/span>infection\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>\u00a0development research project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This research is<\/span>\u00a0d<\/span>irectly related to a real<\/span>–<\/span>life<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0everyday problem<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that children<\/span>\u00a0suffer\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>on a daily basis<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and this\u00a0<\/span>makes the research very meaningful<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>nstitute for\u00a0<\/span>Glycomics<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>part of a\u00a0<\/span>unique<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>collection of<\/span>\u00a0only\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>few\u00a0<\/span>research institutes\u00a0<\/span>worldwide solely dedicated to carbohydrate research\u00a0<\/span>focused on<\/span>\u00a0fighting disease<\/span>s<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Collaborating with like-focused scientists within the\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>nstitute is certainly empowering in the search for effective therapeutics.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are there such things as\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>set-backs<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0in research?<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research is\u00a0<\/span>often\u00a0<\/span>like taking nine\u00a0<\/span>steps backwards\u00a0<\/span>and then ten\u00a0<\/span>steps\u00a0<\/span>forward\u00a0<\/span>because\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>constantly trying to do new\u00a0<\/span>things<\/span>\u00a0and these often don\u2019t work<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>PhD students can go for a year or two without coming up with a solution\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>a problem<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0so you need to d<\/span>evelop\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>mindset of seeing the big picture<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0<\/span>often\u00a0<\/span>tell my students\u00a0<\/span>that research\u00a0<\/span>is like conquering M<\/span>oun<\/span>t Everest<\/span>. Consider the<\/span>\u00a0number of a<\/span>ttemp<\/span>ts,\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>years of planning,\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>mapping\u00a0<\/span>of climbing routes, the number of\u00a0<\/span>dead ends,\u00a0<\/span>the ever<\/span>–<\/span>changing elements\u2026<\/span>but in the end\u00a0<\/span>a way was\u00a0<\/span>found<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Mount<\/span>\u00a0Everest was conquered.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The knowledge and understanding gathered when something\u00a0<\/span>doesn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0work\u00a0<\/span>can be\u00a0<\/span>just as important\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0what is gathered when something does work. It\u00a0<\/span>doesn\u2019t mean\u00a0<\/span>you haven\u2019t achieved\u00a0<\/span>a result<\/span>\u00a0and it can\u2019t be\u00a0<\/span>publish<\/span>ed<\/span>\u2014<\/span>you have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>likely\u00a0<\/span>learnt what could and couldn\u2019t be done<\/span>. Like with\u00a0<\/span>Mount<\/span>\u00a0Everest, we stand on the shoulders of those before us.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span><\/i><\/b>hat advice do you give students?<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As an academic these days you need to learn how to multi-<\/span>task,<\/span>\u00a0and this really is quite a different set of skills<\/span>\u00a0to those that you thought you would acquire working in one field of research<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Try and set reasonable goals for yourself and to extend yourself. Tak<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>on the challenges<\/span>\u00a0and d<\/span>on\u2019t be afraid of these opportunities<\/span>\u2014<\/span>in fact<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0these are the times when I have felt the most satisfaction.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I would\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>advise the<\/span>m<\/span>\u00a0to learn how to articulate their problem for themselves before\u00a0<\/span>approaching\u00a0<\/span>others. The default trend is to want to know the answer now rather than to dig into the problem first. But we can\u2019t default to a quick solution all the time. Before using someone\u2019s expertise, you\u00a0<\/span>first\u00a0<\/span>need to work through the problem yourself\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>understand the problem and the question, and to develop your best understanding o<\/span>f<\/span>\u00a0a proposed solution or approach. Then<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0when you approach someone\u00a0<\/span>for help<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0you are fully prepared for the\u00a0<\/span>guidance and the\u00a0<\/span>challenge<\/span>\u00a0ahead<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Who is your i<\/span><\/i><\/b>nspirational person<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0from history?<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I a<\/span>lways\u00a0<\/span>have been\u00a0<\/span>very impressed\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>Ernest Shackleton<\/span>. On an expedition to cross Antarctica from sea to sea, via the pole, the expedition ship became trapped\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>nd was slowly crushed<\/span>\u00a0in pack ice<\/span>. The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice before launching the lifeboats to reach land. Shackleton left his men and sailed 800<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>km<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0in the worst possible conditions in the world<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0to South Georgia Island. There he crossed the mountains to a whale station, commandeered a boat and rescued all his men.<\/span>\u00a0Through it all he remained positive and he never gave up.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0<\/span>admire<\/span>\u00a0Shackleton\u2019s mental toughness and his positivity. And it is applicable to\u00a0<\/span>science<\/span>\u2014<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>determination<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0stickability\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>finding\u00a0<\/span>alternate\u00a0<\/span>solutions\u00a0<\/span>when needed.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More information\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more\u00a0<\/span>about\u00a0<\/span>the research<\/span><\/a>\u00a0being undertaken at\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0Institute for\u00a0<\/span>Glycomics<\/span>\u00a0in its\u00a0<\/span>fight\u00a0<\/span>against\u00a0<\/span>diseases of global impact.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Discover more about\u00a0<\/span>middle ear infections<\/span>\u00a0through our open access research on\u00a0<\/span>Griffith Research Online<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many\u00a0of us have experienced the pain and discomfort of a middle ear infection, either personally or in our children. While most children\u00a0outgrow\u00a0these\u00a0infections by school age and are\u00a0unlikely to suffer long-term problems, the same cannot be said for Australian Indigenous children\u2014from one year old,\u00a0almost 100%\u00a0experience middle ear infections which can last through the early years ofContinue reading “Dr Darren Grice and the Institute for Glycomics lead the fight against middle ear infections”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":17422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,172,5],"tags":[162],"class_list":["post-14307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-researcher-profile","category-researchers","tag-general"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Vanessa Gatt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/10\/Grice-Lab-Team-2019-resized-e1602026309669-1000x0-c-default.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14307"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14307\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}