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a week in paradise

You and a friend can win a six-night package at Eden Health Retreat in a two-bedroomed Premier Suite in the beautiful Currumbin Valley. Valued at $7680, the prize includes all meals, accommodation, activities and educational sessions (transfers and treatments are not included). The prize is valid for twelve months. Don’t miss out on your chance to experience a week of pure bliss. Entries close 30th June, 2021 Visit www.edenhealthretreat.com.au for more information on how you’ll be pampered during your stay. Eden Health Retreat’s programs begin on a Sunday and finish the following Saturday. All attempts will be made to accommodate the prize winner’s first choice of dates, however the prize is subject to availability. Prize winners are responsible for their own transfers or associated costs and any treatments they may enjoy during their stay. To enter simply scan our QR code to join our VIP Club for automatic entry or go to www.getit-magazine.com.au Winners will be contacted by email. Join us: getit-magazine.com.au

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Dr Lucy Shewell

Balancing research, mentoring, grant applications and more, Research Scientist Dr Lucy Shewell talks to Get It Magazine about memorable career moments, exciting scientific discoveries and working on the Gold Coast at Griffith University.

1. Tell us about your work, and how did you get started in your career? I’m a research scientist at Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics. My

Life & Learning In the Lab

areas of research are bacterial pathogenesis (which means trying to understand why bacteria make us sick) and glycobiology (which means the study of sugars, in particular those on the surface of our cells). I have been at the Institute for over 10 years. 2. Take us through a day in your life. Typically, I will be planning and carrying out experiments in the lab, mentoring students, analysing data, writing up data for publication, or preparing grant applications – sometimes trying to balance these things all in the same day. It’s not always easy, and there are many late finishes and work to be done at home. 3. What is something that surprised you about your field of work? It surprises me in research where your projects can end up. For example, we were working on a bacterial toxin that binds to a particular sugar, called Neu5Gc. It has been known for many years that cancer cells make this sugar while healthy cells do not. We modified this bacterial toxin to make it recognise the Neu5Gc sugar better, and now are developing this into a cancer diagnostic test! 4. What are the perks of studying with

Griffith University? Well for starters, you can’t beat living on the Gold Coast; the lifestyle is great and the weather is beautiful. Add to that the many study opportunities that Griffith University offers. At the Institute for Glycomics in particular, students get the unique opportunity to study alongside some of the world’s most outstanding research leaders and research scientists in the fields of cancer and infectious diseases, with access to state of the art facilities and equipment. It’s a winning combination. 5 . What’s your best piece of career advice? Say yes to opportunities that come your way, even if you don’t necessarily want to, as you never know where these opportunities may lead you.

Science, Study & Giving Back

A National Health and Medical Research Council Research Fellow, Dr Lara Herrero talks to Get It Magazine about her work at Griffith University, career highlights and her world of science and medicine.

1. Tell us about what you do, and how did you get started? I think of myself as a virologist researcher by day and a medical doctor by night. Some of my past roles have ranged from being a high school teacher, to science communicator, to medical doctor. The central theme that applies to everything I’ve done comes down to my love for science, and giving back to the community. 2. What are some career highlights? Teaching science to remote communities in Australia, establishing viral diagnostics to labs throughout the Asia Pacific, advising on flu surveillance in Africa for the WHO, and of course, the days where patients tell me “thank you, you don’t know how much you’ve helped me.” 3. What does a typical day look like?

I start with an early exercise routine and make sure my dogs are walked and happy. That’s followed by meetings with my students, collaborative meetings to discuss new projects, the occasional media interview, and then an emergency department shift if the hospital is understaffed. 4. Congratulations on winning the

Creating Change category in the 2020

Gold Coast Women in Business Awards - tell us a bit about what this win meant to you? It was so nice to be acknowledged for the work that my team and I have been doing to develop a world-first treatment for viral Dr Lara Herrero

arthritis. Our research in this area provides hope to millions of people worldwide who are currently suffering with viral arthritis. 6. How do you recharge and stay motivated?

I run and get outdoors as much as I can. Immersing myself in nature resets me and keeps me grounded. If that fails, I drink a glass of wine or have a whiskey - no one likes a saint!

Because .. it’s time to sparkle!