Ferrier PhD student awarded scholarship for bone-healing research
Liam Sargison, a PhD candidate with the Ferrier Research Institute undertaking research into how modifying sugar chains can improve bone healing, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship by the HOPE Foundation for Research on Ageing.
Liam completed both his undergraduate and master's degrees in biomedical science, but says he was drawn into chemistry for his PhD.
"I'm a biologist by training, and my supervisor, Dr Simon Hinkley, offered me this project that builds on my biology skills. I have had to learn a lot of chemistry very quickly, which has been both very challenging and a lot of fun.
"My research topic is about chemically modifying heparin, a long sugar chain, and pharmaceutical anticoagulant, to create molecules which can bind to BMP-2, a protein growth factor which is important for initiating bone growth.
"I think this sort of medicine is extremely valuable and it is very gratifying for my project to be recognised to be of value by the HOPE Foundation.
"Enhancing existing growth factors in a wound site is practical and carries lower risks of harmful side effects.
"Creating a medicine from a relatively cheap starting material will hopefully mean it is more affordable and so viable for use in public health systems which means more people can benefit from it."
Liam's research is co-supervised by Ferrier Research Institute scientists, Associate Professor Simon Hinkley and Dr Alison Daines, along with Adjunct Professor Simon Cool, who co-leads the Glycotherapeutics lab at A*STAR in Singapore—a long-time research collaboration partner for the Ferrier Research Institute.
"My PhD is partially funded by the A*STAR Research Attachment Programme, which was set up to encourage international collaboration. As part of my research I'll spend up to two years in Singapore with their Glycotherapeutics group. They have state-of-the-art equipment and are set up for a huge variety of biological science which will allow me to test the molecules I produce.
Liam says the Ferrier Research Institute is a fantastic place to do a PhD.
"Being among so many talented, approachable and driven scientists is incredible. Ferrier is mainly based at the Callaghan Innovation Gracefield site and in turn is surrounded by other fantastic groups like Integrated Bioactive Technologies (IBT) and Glycosyn. The relationship with these teams and their unique skills, perspectives, and tools benefits us all."