Research into child health is often referred to as a 'team sport': breakthroughs don't come from a lone scientist toiling away but rather a collaborative effort from many different fields.
Joint projects don't happen by accident, however. Our scientists host visiting speakers and visit other research institutes to meet colleagues, share techniques and encourage ideas. On Friday 4 March, Telethon Kids Institute welcomed Dr Paul Croarkin (pictured with some of our early- to mid-career researchers) from the famed Mayo Clinic in the US to share his work on understanding and treating depression in young people.
Exploring markers of mental health
Dr Croarkin and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic are investigating a method of determining if particular treatments for depression are having positive impact on the brain chemistry of adolescents. If successful, it could lead to a more tailored approach to treatment, a growing field of research known as 'personalised medicine'.
Dr Gail Alvares from our autism research team said having Dr Croarkin visit the institute has stimulated discussion on a number of potential projects. "Telethon Kids has an emerging research program investigating mental disorders in young people," she said. "Our meetings with Paul have identified a number of opportunities to work together on finding better ways to diagnose and treat mood disorders in adolescents.
"We also had a great discussion about the Australian Autism Biobank, and a project that we are heavily involved in. This Biobank aims to identify the genetic and biological triggers of autism by studying and comparing the genetic profiles of people with autism. Paul is very interested in our autism research and we are excited about the techniques and ideas a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic and his team might bring."
Finding connections to launch careers
While at Telethon Kids, Dr Croarkin gave a scientific seminar on his recent work and attended a 'meet-and-greet' session with our early- to mid-career researchers.
Early- to mid-career researchers, who have recently completed their PhD and are establishing their careers, benefit immensely from these academic exchanges, Gail said. "A successful and productive career in science really hinges on developing connections with international colleagues," she said. "Early career researchers rely on these networks to help them find their feet as independent scientists and can often lead to new avenues of investigation that previously were closed to them.
"Meet-and-greet sessions like the one we had with Paul gives our next generation of research leaders the opportunity to build their network and develop new projects to explore."