A moment with Professor Caroline Tiemessen
- Wits University
In celebration of Women's month, the Wits School of Pathology celebrated Professor Caroline Tiemessen as a prestigious female in Science.
Prof Caroline Tiemessen, a medical scientist based at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, is Head of the Cell Biology Research Laboratory in the Centre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections at the NICD as well as research Professor in the School of Pathology. She is a DST/NRF Chair of HIV Vaccine Translational Research as well as a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. She was also the inaugural profile for the Wits School of Pathology prestigious female in Science profile, where in celebration of women’s month, she took a few moments to reflect on women in science.
Were you always interested in Science and how/when did you decide that research was the career path that you would follow?
I always had a general interest in Science and I initially thought of following a career in geology. However, it was in standard 9 (Grade 11), I was hooked by the concept of mutation in microorganisms which awoke my interest in pursuing the biological sciences. While always interested in medicine, my own fear of needles closed that door. By my third year at Wits (Faculty of Science), I realised that geology would be an interest rather than my career. Looking back, it is rather surprising that I did not go into human genetics, as it is the combination of microbes, immunology and host genetics that over time has most captured my interest.
What was the inspiring force in your decision to focus on host factors as a HIV prevention strategy as opposed to other ways of tackling the disease?
My PhD involved the study of the dynamics of adenovirus growth in cell culture. A defining moment was when I had completed my PhD and Prof Barry Schoub called me in and asked me what I wanted to do next. I had just attended a talk about the interaction between Herpes Simplex Virus and cholesterol receptors by Prof Yechiel Becker who was visiting from Israel – it was one of those talks that had me at the edge of my seat. This was when I decided that that I wanted to study virus-host interactions in human diseases. I then spent 3 months in Israel in Prof. Becker’s laboratory which focussed on blood dendritic cells and cytokines. . As it so happened at the time there was a need for research into HIV at the then National Institute for Virology (now the National Institute for Communicable Diseases). This was the start of my journey in HIV and began with a strong focus on immunology, HIV and also tuberculosis. Later work on mother-to-child transmission of HIV and protective immunity drove the inclusion of host genetics, now a strong component of the research conducted in my lab.
What would you highlight as your three greatest academic successes and of which one are you personally the most proud?
Over the years my research group has made substantial contributions to understanding mother-to child transmission of HIV, and our work in the field of paediatric HIV cure is a natural progression from this. Some of my “favourite” findings are from this research in children. These include work linking chemokine production to host genetics, the many host genetic variants associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and natural killer cell responses to HIV peptides that associated with protection from acquisition of HIV in infants. If I had to choose what moves me most currently, it would have to be a tie between the South African child and the life-saving liver transplant from an HIV-positive mother to her HIV-negative child. I say this more because of the promise of what is to come - these cases are so fascinating and open interesting channels of future exploration. I think it is here where our research can really make a difference.
As scientists mature in their career they tend to move from bench to desk, so a more administrative role as they progress in their career. Do you miss being at the bench? If so, what do you miss most about it?
I enjoyed the exploratory nature of working at the bench, which I do miss. There is a therapeutic aspect to laboratory work (reminds me of the satisfaction one gets from gardening) and the aspect of being able to complete a task gives you a real sense of achievement. In the administrative role, the work seems to be continuous with less of a sense of completion.
How do you think that the challenges African female academics differ from that in the first world?
The logistics of working in the third world complicates research regardless of gender. The difference in access to resources, both financial, as well as the time for reagents to arrive is a major competitive disadvantage. There is no doubt that because of how women are viewed compared to men in many African countries – this makes for an even harder environment that women need to navigate.
How do you relax from your very high pressure position, and what advice do you have for early career academics on work-life balance.
I am the wrong person to ask on work-life balance, as I do not take enough breaks. I do however, have a healthy lifestyle, exercise, garden, and have regular massages. I have learned to compartmentalize work tasks and try to focus accordingly and not to stress too far into the future. I pace myself with deadlines and am not someone to leave things to last minute. I do also live by lists and have learned not to sweat the small stuff.
Do you think that the current trajectory for the facilitation of women in science is a positive one? How do you think that we can negate the problem of good female scientist at entry levels, but a general attrition as careers advance?
The problem of an interrupted career due to child rearing is real one, and a challenge that is not faced by males. Being a young mother is particularly challenging, and there is often not appropriate support during this period. Often a woman’s career is secondary to that of her husband, and sacrifices in terms of career are usually made by women. I think programmes such as the DST/NRF SARChI and the MRC, where some recent funding calls were for women only, are attempting to address the lack of female scientists in professorial positions. More opportunities along these lines, and with inclusion of more permanent positions for women scientists would help.
You have a very strong female demographic in your lab, with promising young female researchers. If you had to summarise a message for female early career scientists in a single line what would it be?
You have to be passionate about science, be self-driven, work hard and persevere; success is earned.