Learn from failure and continue to grow

Posted on April 25, 2021

NAS Featured scientist: Prof Lyn-Marie Birkholtz (Professor in Biochemistry and Director of the DSI/NRF South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Sustainable Malaria Control. She also leads the Parasite Cluster in the UP Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control).
 

Q: Why did you choose to study biochemistry?
A: I am intrigued by the intricacies of the intracellular world and how single molecules (both small and large) fit together to make life possible. Biochemistry provides me with a space in which to pursue my interest, and the analytical approach to problem-solving that is required suits my systematic and exploratory nature. I graduated with Genetics, Biochemistry and Human Physiology as majors, and felt that biochemistry provided me with the best opportunity to merge these interests in my career. My field of sub-specialisation, which is medicinal or pharmaceutical biochemistry, enables me to understand disease mechanisms for the discovery of health innovations.

Q: Why is science (including biochemistry) important?
A: In the modern world where anything is only a click away, we seem to have lost sight of the fact that almost everything we interact with today has resulted from scientific discoveries. When you flick a switch when you wake up in the early morning and the light bulb goes on, remember that you have science to thank for it (the metaphorical pun intended!). However, science today is much more than continual discovery and is also concerned with the most basic things, such as the survival of mankind and the earth we call home. Therefore, in my opinion, science practice today has to be relevant to societal challenges and should not merely fix problems, but should ask what the cause of the problem is and how it should be addressed. Biochemistry is at the core of all biological sciences, which makes it relevant to all studies of living organisms. If we do not understand how an organism works at the cellular level, we cannot attempt to address any issues and develop innovations.

Q: Why is World Malaria Day (celebrated on 25 April) important? This year’s theme is: Reaching the zero malaria target.
World Malaria Day is an annual event focused mainly on raising awareness of the disease. This is particularly important in the current situation in which the immediate urgency is associated with emerging diseases and COVID-19. However, we cannot lose our focus on other diseases and have to continue working towards their elimination. This ties into the theme of ‘Reaching the zero malaria target’ and the continued need to build on the success achieved thus far in decreasing cases of malaria with a view to the ultimate elimination of the disease. This is of course easier said than done, and the emergence in Rwanda of malaria parasites that are resistant to our last clinically useful antimalarial drug highlights the challenges we face in malaria control and elimination.

Q: What were the highlights of your career so far, including your time at UP?
A: Work experience gained internationally early in my career - in Germany, the USA and Australia - contributed to my desire to ensure that our research at UP would be internationally competitive. Being awarded a SARChI chair in 2013 cemented my research focus and made possible the expansion of our research efforts. A further highlight is that every single PhD candidate I supervised during my time at UP became a colleague.

Q: Give us a glimpse of your most recent research.
A: I work at the interface between parasite biology and antimalarial drug discovery to provide health innovations for the elimination of malaria. We described the first complete transcriptome of transmissible gametocyte stages of malaria parasites and followed that up by describing the epigenome. This data provided blueprints of parasite biology during pathogenesis and is a rich resource shared globally with the malaria research community. The translation of this information to drug discovery resulted in our recent breakthrough when we discovered new chemical entities that can target multiple stages of malaria parasites and therefore have the potential to block transmission and contribute to malaria elimination strategies.

Q: How would you describe a day in the life of Prof Birkholtz?
A: I am first and foremost a mother to three great kids and wife to the most supportive husband ever. My day starts and ends with my family as my priority -  they are the people who keep me going and keep me smiling. However, my days at work are unpredictable - nothing is routine, which is part of the joy of being a scientist. Daily interactions with postgraduate students lead to stimulating and inspiring discussions. Research management, planning, data interpretation, writing and strategic thinking take up the rest of my day.

Q: What are the qualities of a good scientist?
A: I think the most important thing for scientists is to remember how inquisitive they were as children and how they believed that everything was possible at the age of five. A scientist must have an inquisitive mind, good problem-solving skills and the ability to think strategically. On the practical level, they need to be able to plan, have great time management skills and demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges.

Q: What is your motto?
A: ‘Refuse to fear failure.’ When you take a chance, you can either be successful or have a valuable opportunity to learn from failure and continue to grow. Be dedicated and determined, and keep going even when things are tough. Amaze yourself with what you can do!

- Author Martie Meyer

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