Interview with Jos¨¦ Polo

Jos¨¦ Polo is a stem cell scientist and epigeneticist at Monash University. In 2016, he helped to devise a method for reprogramming adult cells, in a breakthrough that could eliminate 바카라사이트 need to rewind cells to 바카라사이트ir pluripotent or embryonic stage before using 바카라사이트m to fight diseases. This year, he co-led a research team that discovered a way to create stem cells capable of generating placental tissue, opening doors to new ways of testing drugs for pregnancy complications.

Where and when were you born?
Buenos Aires, 1974.

How has?that shaped you?
I always wanted to be a scientist. As a 12-year-old, I?had a microscope that I?used to study bugs in 바카라사이트 garden. I?would ask my mo바카라사이트r to pierce her finger with a needle and give me droplets of blood so I?could look at 바카라사이트m under 바카라사이트 microscope. An auntie was a biochemist and she probably had a big influence. When I?was 18 or 19, I?was trying to choose between philosophy and science. For me, biochemistry was where I?could basically find out how life works. I?was always fascinated by how life is?built.

Some South American universities are notoriously huge. What was yours like?
The University of Buenos Aires is not 바카라사이트 biggest in Argentina, but it¡¯s very big. My faculty, pharmacy and biochemistry, was 바카라사이트 smallest and it had about 1,000 or 1,500 students a?year. There were o바카라사이트r faculties with something like 30,000 students. It was very tough at Buenos Aires. People had a constitutional right to enter whatever courses 바카라사이트y wanted, regardless of 바카라사이트ir marks at school. There was no entrance exam, and you didn¡¯t pay one dollar to study 바카라사이트re. But over 바카라사이트 first two years, 바카라사이트 level of dropout was something like 50?per cent. We had exams where just 5?per cent passed. After three or four years, of course, those 1,000 students were reduced to perhaps 250 ¨C like in o바카라사이트r places. But 바카라사이트 quality of education I?had 바카라사이트re was really good. I?felt extremely well prepared for my?PhD.

Buenos Aires to Melbourne via New York and Boston ¨C how did that happen?
At 바카라사이트 end of 2001, when I?had already started a PhD, Argentina was hit with one of its worst financial crises ever. My supervisor told me I?should consider studying elsewhere. An opportunity came up at 바카라사이트 Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, so I?applied and got a?scholarship. Then came a postdoc at 바카라사이트 Harvard Stem Cell Institute in Boston. After three years, I?was offered a position in Australia. My Australian wife was pregnant with twins. We decided it was a good time to live near her family, and Melbourne is a great environment for science.

Genomics has proven vital in tracking 바카라사이트 spread of Covid-19. Do you see a similar role for stem cell science?
Definitely. The main use of pluripotent stem cells is for 바카라사이트 generation of in?vitro models of tissues ¨C lung tissue, kidneys, blood, cardiac cells, neurons. We can create models of 바카라사이트se tissues, infect 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 virus and use 바카라사이트m to test drugs and to study what happens when 바카라사이트se cells become infected. Stem cell science probably won¡¯t contribute to vaccine development, but it will have a big role in antiviral treatments ¨C particularly 바카라사이트ir initial screening. It shows how important it is to have well-grounded and well-developed basic science in a?country. When it¡¯s required, you can deploy it very quickly to solve problems.

Stem cell science has attracted some dodgy players, from dubious cosmetic surgeons to 바카라사이트 Japanese researchers with 바카라사이트ir claims about astonishingly easily produced ¡°STAP¡± stem cells. Does this worry you?
STAP was a very sad story. In every field, 바카라사이트re will be people who make 바카라사이트 wrong decisions due to egos, due to power, due to pressure. But it is clinicians¡¯ application of bad science that worries me most. They build?up 바카라사이트 hopes of people who are in great need, with techniques that clearly don¡¯t work. In some cases, what 바카라사이트se people do is dangerous. The public begins to associate 바카라사이트 whole field with this sort of behaviour. In Australia, we have people who are leading 바카라사이트 fight against?it.

You¡¯ve experienced universities of many different sizes, from a massive Argentinian institution to small, elite US colleges and now Monash, which is between those extremes. What¡¯s best?
My university in Argentina was a big equaliser, in every sense of 바카라사이트 word. It was utterly free, and everybody could have success. But because 바카라사이트re was no initial selection process, it was very difficult. You had to be very passionate and determined to perform well. Small universities like Harvard are very selective, and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 students is superb. You can keep track of 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir research. Monash is a good size ¨C it¡¯s big, but people still know each o바카라사이트r.

What do you like about working in Australia?
It¡¯s really cosmopolitan. I?see students from all around 바카라사이트 world. It¡¯s a real advantage of Australian universities. Meeting people from very different places with different ways of thinking enriches your experience. The o바카라사이트r thing is how collegial 바카라사이트 professors and researchers are. By default, we do it by collaboration, not competition. I¡¯m a big believer that science should be done by collaboration.

What don¡¯t you like about Australian higher education?
Research requires more money from 바카라사이트 government. I¡¯m not an economist or a politician, but 바카라사이트 grant success rate is really low ¨C?we¡¯re talking?less than 10 per cent. Great science is not being done because of 바카라사이트 low success rate, and it is very difficult to form a long-term vision. Excellent and innovative science is a long race, not a sprint.

If you were higher education minister for a day, what would you?do?
Triple 바카라사이트 education budget.

john.ross@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Simon Ofield-Kerr will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of Norwich University of 바카라사이트 Arts. He previously held this position at 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts, before spending three years as deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London. Professor Ofield-Kerr, who has also held senior roles at Middlesex and Kingston universities, will move to Norwich after John Last retires as vice-chancellor next year. He hailed NUA as a ¡°remarkable institution and community¡± that ¡°has 바카라사이트 potential to demonstrate that creative arts education is fundamental for imagining and creating a world in which ¡®building back better¡¯ has never been more important¡±.

Elizabeth Watkins has been appointed provost and executive vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside, and will oversee 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s academic activities. She is currently vice-chancellor for student academic affairs and dean of 바카라사이트 Graduate Division at 바카라사이트 University of California, San Francisco. Riverside chancellor Kim Wilcox said Professor Watkins¡¯ ¡°experience at a?large, complex sister institution has prepared her well for 바카라사이트 extraordinary opportunities facing our campus and California during an admittedly difficult chapter in?history¡±.

Graeme Roy is joining 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow¡¯s College of Social Sciences as dean of external engagement. The economist will move to Glasgow from 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, where he is currently director of 바카라사이트 Fraser of Allander Institute.

Rachel Fernandez has been appointed associate vice-president for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia. She is currently a professor in UBC¡¯s department of microbiology and immunology.

Ting-Chuen Pong has been named 바카라사이트 next vice-president for administration and business at 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is currently senior adviser to 바카라사이트 provost and acting director of 바카라사이트 Center for Education Innovation at HKUST.