Doctor and researcher, Sarah Garner, always had a keen interest and a natural ability when it came to her chemistry lessons - but how do you follow your passions and talents when there are so many directions in which you can go? Sarah believes she has ended up on the right path, thanks to having the right people around her - and a healthy curiosity.
Late last year we had the pleasure of catching up with Sarah, who is currently doing some amazing and inspiring work in the field of HIV diagnosis and treatment. “I am passionate about research outcomes and world-class healthcare for all people, regardless of income, gender, ethnic background or sexuality” Sarah said.
Sarah is currently studying for her PhD and is investigating how the HIV virus hides itself in the body. “My real goal is to harness the pathways that exist in our cells already to try and clear the virus from these hiding places,” Sarah explained. “So you’ll often find me in the high containment laboratory working on the virus, where I isolate and analyse different types of cells to understand how they respond to viral infection.”
If Sarah’s research is successful, it will be a step towards a cure for HIV. “Some people are doing [researching] a vaccination and some a cure” Sarah highlights. “Currently there is medication to control it, but not cure. All my research is based in the laboratory, so you never know for sure if an experiment is going to work.”
“A month ago I got a promising result.” Sarah reveals.
Sarah’s dedication to finding a cure for HIV goes well beyond the laboratory. Since the year 2000 Sarah has been involved with a community based organisation called Living Positive Victoria. Living Positive Victoria represents and is committed to the advancement of human rights and wellbeing of all people living with HIV to live their lives to their full potential, in good health and free from discrimination. “There are a lot of very selfless and active community groups working to keep the research going.” Sarah asserts.
I am passionate about research outcomes and world-class healthcare for all people, regardless of income, gender, ethnic background or sexuality.
While her time in the laboratory is a long way from her days in the science rooms of Emmanuel College, Sarah remembers her days at school and the wonderful influence her teachers had been. “I always had an affinity for chemistry.” Sarah says, “I had been considering going on to study Physio, but my teachers, particularly Mr Hingston, encouraged me to go into medicine.” Sarah, a curious and self-motivated student, took on the advice and looked into a border range of options. She still classes Mr Hingston as one of her mentors to this day.
Sarah goes on to describe herself as a shy person at school, however this shyness seemingly did not hold her back from being involved in a diversity of activities. Sarah was a strong swimmer, and is listed as the Emmanuel College Age Champion each year from 1993-6. Sarah’s commitment to swimming was so great, it saw her complete Year 12 over two years. Sarah also enjoyed learning music. She was an active member of the College Choir with Mrs Adams, and a keen piano player.
Post school, the broadening of the horizon offered by her Teachers saw Sarah take on Biomedical Science at LaTrobe for one year and then move on to do Medicine at Monash. Sarah opted during her fifth year to complete some research instead of study, where she embraced an opportunity to work at the Alfred and Baker Centre looking at heart disease. “It was really hard. It was the hardest year as an undergraduate.” she comments. Sarah’s perseverance saw her graduate with first-class honours.
Sarah went on to train in infectious diseases and microbiology. Sarah has also obtained Fellowships from both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia.
Today, Sarah is still looking at the broader picture as in addition to her PhD, Sarah works as a Medical Microbiologist for Dorevitch, and as a doctor for West Gippsland Healthcare, working in Infectious Diseases and General Medicine. Sarah says, “As a doctor you are able to help people on an individual basis, as a researcher I can potentially have a greater impact.”
