Associate Professor Mary-Louise Rogers was recently in Canberra as part of a delegation advocating for better care and funding for MND research. She shares a bit about her research journey, and how tenacity and advocacy have helped keep her research alive – but has resulted in a recent injury.

What is your role and what does your work focus on?

I am Principal Research Fellow and head of the Motor Neurone Disease and Neurotrophic Research laboratory in the College of Medicine and Public Health/Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute at Flinders University. Ours is the only Motor Neurone Disease (MND) laboratory in South Australia. My role is to conduct and supervise research projects, encourage and foster MND research by honours, PhD and postdocs in the lab. My role is also around promoting and advocating collaborative MND research across Australia and within our state. I also am on the MND South Australia Board, and on a number of other leadership roles across MND research in Astralia.

Can you briefly describe the journey that took you to this point in your career?

My journey in science/medical research started in agriculture. I did an Ag Science degree at the University of Adelaide, majoring in animal science, and honours in animal science/biochemistry. Through mentors I have met along the way, I was encouraged to do a PhD where left-field thinking got me interested in applying knowledge and technological innovation, an example being using protein chemistry to develop medical products. I eventually came to Flinders in 2004 to continue protein chemistry work, and got interested in developing innovative solutions to the lack of ways to measure if treatments are working or not in clinical trials for MND, and the paucity of treatments.

What is something you love most about your work?

I love being involved with people with lived experience of MND. It is important to hear the lived experience voice and use their knowledge whenever writing research grants or reporting on publications and results. They keep you grounded. I also love the enthusiasm of early career scientists, fostering them means the next generation is set up to make the next big discoveries.

What is something you would like people to know about your role?

I’m proud of being a supportive leader at Flinders and colleague to many MND research and clinical leaders across Australia. I try to give back and I work to support and help create opportunities for others around me.

What is something you are most proud of?

I am most proud of my tenacity to keep our MND lab going at Flinders. It has been difficult to keep getting funding and recognition for the research we do in our lab. I am a shy person who doesn’t like the spotlight, but personal awards such as the Winnovation award (Technology, 2018) are a platform for greater recognition of what we do in our laboratory.

How do you like to relax or spend your spare time

I love walking, cooking and seeing friends and family. My walking has suffered in the last month or so, as I hurt my leg, doing a dunking/ice bucket challenge for MND South Australia, but am back to it now! Cooking is a great way to relax and a bit like science, but you and your friends can eat the delicious results – I recommend it!