Professor Damien Keating is the Deputy Director of the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) and leads the Gut Sensory Systems research group. After post-doctoral work in Germany and fellowships in Melbourne, he joined Flinders University in 2006. His research explores cellular chemical signalling and its role in health and disease, with publications in top journals like Nature and Cell Metabolism.

In 25 words or less, tell us what your research is about?

I research how specialised cells lining our gut wall sense the gut environment (like the food we eat) and signal this to other parts of the body to control diverse pathways related to metabolism and brain function.

How do you believe your research will impact patient care or public health outcomes?

We have a major story in the pipeline in which we have discovered a gut-brain connection that regulates our behaviour and mood and which may be directly relevant to mental health disorders. We hope to build on this with the goal of creating better mental health treatments.

What do you enjoy most about being a researcher?

That discovery research is a highly creative endeavour. I also love the times when you are looking at a new piece of data and the notion that you are the only person in human history who knows that information. The bonus in medical research is that such information can be used to help people.

What do you do when you’re not researching?

I have a pretty big family and we are usually busy out of hours with a lot of kid activities, I really love being involved in those things and just seeing them have fun. I have a teenage son who is keen on golf and so I’m trying badly to keep up with him.

What advice would you give to aspiring health and medical researchers?

Think big. When you look at the research profile of the biggest people in your field, don’t sit in awe of their accomplishments, rather consider how you can become that type of research leader.