My Account
Louise Nicholson is passionate about education and science. A former teacher at Mahurangi College, she is now Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Auckland University, where she oversees the faculty’s research. Her own research is in an area that could ultimately lead to a cure for diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. She also mentors graduate students who share her drive and desire to make a difference to people’s lives. Louise talks about the importance of valuing science, getting youngsters enthused about learning, and never wasting an opportunity . . . .
My mother says you can do anything you like in this world as long as you’re not unkind, and she lives by that. My father was an American who met my mother while he was on his way to fight in the Pacific during the second world war. He loved New Zealand, and was drawn to its social values as well as its beauty. He had a dental practice in Epsom and my friends thought we must be well off but we weren’t, because he never charged very much for his services.
When I went to university there was huge growth in science, moving into electromicroscopy and cell biology. It was an exciting time with excellent teachers who were internationally renowned, and it was a great place to be.
At the end of my BSc I did my masters degree with John Leader, who made us do everything ourselves, right from sharpening our own sectioning razor. When you put forward a hypothesis you often get a completely different answer, and John felt you couldn’t really understand the results unless you’d been through every step. I do the same with my own students – although there’s a lot of stuff you can buy in kits now, I still make them go back to the beginning so when something goes wrong they know why.
I was offered scholarships to do further study overseas but I chose to stay in Auckland and work with Stan Bullivant, an expert in electromicroscopy and cell membrane structure. He was one of the pioneers in working out the pathways between cells that allow them to talk to each other.
At the end of my PhD I took up a Rhodes Fellowship at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. Jon stayed here in Warkworth and we were apart for nearly two-and-a-half years. Not everyone approved, but Jon and Jim (Dollimore) were setting up Biomarine and the timing was critical. Jon firmly believes you’ve got to take every opportunity that comes along, and he has always supported me in that. He is my greatest fan. When I came back to New Zealand we settled here and I taught at Mahurangi College, from 1981 to 1988. I taught biology and science with great colleagues like Ross Walker and Bill Speed, and we had a marvelous time. It was a wonderful school and all our children who went there are the most delightful young people with excellent social skills.
Then I got offered a senior lectureship in the Department of Anatomy in the then School of Medicine at Auckland University. My first task was to rewrite the biology curriculum and it was so successful that this first-year course has now been opened up to everyone, not just medical students. The teaching was stimulating and exciting but I also needed to re-establish my research career, which had been on hold from the end of my time at Oxford. I joined Richard Faull’s group – he is a top neuroscientist interested in neurodegenerative diseases of the brain – and we worked closely together for six years.
I took a year’s leave in 1996 and went to the Salk Institute in San Diego. It’s an international melting pot of top scientists from all over the world, with large groups working hard and fast on fundamental questions.
What’s critical now is funding science in New Zealand and to do this the public has to understand the contribution science makes to health, education and the economy. Without the public’s “sympathy vote” we won’t get the support for funding to sustain the amazing work that’s going on here. You have to win contestable funding to support your research group and I had to work hard when I came back from the Salk Institute. I wanted to focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms that trigger progressive cell death in neurodegenerative diseases that have a late onset. People appear absolutely healthy then they develop Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s, and we understand a little about the protein products associated with these diseases but we understand very little about what triggers the onset. I believe there are some common mechanisms involved. If you can find these, then you can identify potential therapeutic treatments. A lot of treatments we have treat the symptoms and of course those are extremely valuable, but ultimately what we want to do is stop the progression of the disease.
When you don’t have huge numbers of scientists or pots of money, you have to have clever ideas and you have to do it better – and that’s what we do so well in New Zealand. Most of the people I work with don’t do this job for the money; they are passionate about their work. I say to my people, “we even get paid for this – aren’t we so lucky?”
My enthusiasm for research has led me to take on the role of Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. I go to Auckland very early on Monday morning and come back late Friday and Jon baches during the week because he says if you have the opportunity to make a difference, do it. You do hope something you do will make a fundamental and lasting difference to the lives of others, and it’s a privilege to be able to work towards this goal.
My scientific inquiry is not specific to one disease – it’s a basic science question about mechanisms common to all neurodegenerative diseases. I’m working with Colin Green; we did our masters and PhDs together. Colin is good for me because I am careful, with an eye for detail, and he has a wonderful eye for the big picture. Our work focuses on how cells talk to each other through gap junctions; Stan Bullivant’s pioneering work allowed us to visualise that mechanism. Colin and I have a lot of evidence that cells can spread unhealthy messages to each other through these pathways. If you can stop the cells talking to each other, you can stop the damage spreading.
I still get to do some teaching in the faculty, and I teach in the National Science and Technology Forum run by Rotary. I run the biology programme and I love it. I can say unashamedly that we get top rating from the kids each year, and that’s because of our enthusiasm. I am a trustee for the Forum and I’m also on the Board of Trustees for the HOPE Foundation for Research on Ageing and the Kate Edgar Educational Charitable Trust that supports women in education.
In 2007 I ran the first New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge, combined with Australia. This is a quiz for year 10 students to learn more about the brain and how it works. I want young people to understand the importance of neuroscience, especially as we have an ageing population and we will all run up against this challenge, perhaps as caregivers or patients.
I’ve loved being home over Christmas. I love cooking, my vege garden, and music – it gives me peace of mind when life is very busy and full.
