​Prof Carine Smith from the Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) at Stellenbosch University (SU) delivered her inaugural lecture on Tuesday 30 July 2024. The title of her lecture was “Experimental Medicine: arriving at the BOOST theory".

Smith spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about her research group's work on how the body's regulatory systems become maladaptive and the experimental strategies they are developing to manipulate these systems for therapeutic benefit.

Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.

I never wanted to be a medical doctor. Instead, I have always been fascinated by the complexity of the human body and the intricacies of the systems regulating homeostasis (maybe I am just a control freak?!). My group studies how the body's regulatory systems become maladaptive in chronic inflammatory conditions. We also work on experimental strategies to manipulate these systems for therapeutic benefit.

Our approach is to first profile disease in humans (in collaboration with clinicians), then to model it in cells, rodents and even zebrafish, so that we can develop and test treatment modalities in these models before progressing to human clinical trials. My topic is arguably one of the most challenging in biology – but that is also why it still captivates me.

How would you describe the relevance of your work?

The systems we study are the regulators of homeostasis (a state of balance among all the systems needed for the body to survive and function correctly). Maladaptation in these systems leads to disease and the better we understand them, the better our chances are of developing medicines to treat disease. If we cannot target the normalisation of the regulatory system, we cannot cure disease.

You focus on the body's regulatory systems in the context of chronic stress and inflammatory disease. Why is this such an important area of research?

South Africa is one of the countries with the highest incidence of chronic stress in the world. This leads to the body becoming increasingly desensitised to stress hormones (glucocorticoids), which is also our endogenous anti-inflammatory system. So, we end up with chronic inflammation, which is the basis of almost all modern diseases. 

Describe the highlights as you reflect on your personal road to full professorship.

I have supervised almost 20 PhD students and each of these journeys has been a highlight for me, as I take immense pleasure from witnessing the development of brilliant young minds.

I was fortunate enough to be funded for two full cycles (eight years) on the National Research Foundation Blue Skies Programme, which funds 'out-of-the box' ideas. Apart from the creativity this allowed in research, the funded project – which led to an international patent and several publications – allowed for the exponential expansion of the skills set in my group, which really positioned us as an internationally competitive group.

Starting the first zebrafish husbandry and research unit at SU has been (and still is!) an absolute adventure. The transparent larval stage of zebrafish quite literally allows us to view internal physiology in real time, in live organisms. Working with this amazing model still is the highlight of every workday! Also, the pace at which this unit has become known both nationally and internationally, as well the support of the FMHS for this new endeavour has been phenomenal.

You have spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough?

I am an extremely positive person, so it takes a lot to get me down! A wise person once told me to only allow myself to worry about things that I can change. I try to follow this advice. I also think that maintaining a balance between career and personal life is key – I am an avid crafter and am recharged by any creative activity.

Nowadays at work, I simply walk into the aquarium where a hundred-odd zebrafish are always hungry and happy to see me. This equals instant motivation! Of course, having a good, complex research problem for distraction – as well as an incredible team – always helps.

What would your message be to young girls who aspire to a career in health sciences?

Don't think of yourself as a 'girl in science'. You are the equal of any other scientist. Just do it. And make sure that you have fun while doing, then everything else will follow.

What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?

It is difficult to choose, but I know it is not the admin!

The excitement of a novel find in the lab can be truly addictive, and I thoroughly enjoy writing a new manuscript. I also derive immense satisfaction from seeing those under my management do well in their own careers.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.

If there was anything exciting about me, everyone would know. I am an open book!

How do you spend your free time?

I love being in nature and taking long walks on the beach. I also spend quite a bit of time at nurseries, collecting plants to turn my office into a garden! At home, I enjoy various crafts and cooking for friends and family.

• Photo by Alexio dos Santos 

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