FLAG Researcher Spotlight: Dr Christine Arasaratnam
Dr Christine Arasaratnam
“Be willing to learn, especially when it comes to writing. The red ink all over your thesis draft is not a bad thing, it really is to help you tell the amazing story of your research in a better way!”
Please tell us who you are, your institution, and your title
I am a Research Fellow in the Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab at the Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland.
Tell us a little about yourself and your research interests.
What interests me are neurodegenerative diseases that affect the basal ganglia. From investigating these diseases in post-mortem human brain tissue, not only do we understand how the circuitry in the normal human brain works, but we are also unraveling a tangled web to understand which areas of the human brain are affected by the disease of interest and how, whether that be through the type of cell loss, inflammation, etc. This enables us to fully understand the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. What got me hooked on this career was a serendipitous novel finding on cell types in the human striatum during my master's research year, which naturally translated into a PhD (I simply had to know more!). I was also able to examine these cell types in Parkinson's and Huntington's diseased tissue, which gave me a good understanding of the pathology of both diseases. Outside of the lab, I am mum to a lovely little boy, and my family and I love traveling. If we're traveling around New Zealand, we will stop anytime we see a honey center! Currently, my dream countries to visit include Japan, Turkey, and Oman, where I spent my childhood.
Have you been working on something really exciting recently? Can you tell us about it?
Currently, my team and I are working on characterising the pathology of a relatively unknown neurodegenerative disease called X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism. This disease has some clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease and also some genetic and pathological aspects of Huntington's disease. The cell types discovered in my Master's are one of the key areas of focus, and we are excited to see what the data holds.
What skills or qualities do you think are essential for success in neuroscience? I know you have great collaborators from overseas. Can you tell us about the skills needed to begin or foster these collaborations?
In terms of skills and qualities, I would say passion and perseverance will carry you far! The ability to work in a team, attention to detail, dedication, the ability to learn from your mistakes, to be able to explain your research and why it is critical are but a few traits needed for such a multi-faceted career. To begin the collaborations, it definitely helps to build your network. Initially, you will probably start off by reaching out to your PI's collaborators for help. Continued communication and being willing to help are also great ways to keep collaborations going.
What advice would you give to young researchers just starting out in the field?
Be willing to learn, especially when it comes to writing. The red ink all over your thesis draft is not a bad thing, it really is to help you tell the amazing story of your research in a better way!
If people want to contact you, how should they do so? Do you have any social media profiles people can follow?
You can find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-arasaratnam-b34880309/ and on X @Christine_Aras
Interviewed by: Lily Bentall (University of Otago)