Nadine Smith is a fourth-year PhD student and RNA biologist at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, where she’s uncovering how cancer cells behave at the genetic level to help improve future treatments. After a career in design and manufacturing, she returned to study to make a broader impact, and now pairs her laboratory work with community fundraising, training for a triathlon in support of Flinders Foundation.
Read on to learn what motivates her research, what she loves about discovery, and how she finds balance beyond the lab.
What is your role and what does your work focus on?
I’m a fourth-year PhD student working in the Cell Metabolism and Gene Expression laboratories. My research looks at what happens inside cancer cells at the genetic level when they’re treated with metformin, a drug commonly used for type 2 diabetes. The goal is to understand how metformin is reducing cancer incidence in type 2 diabetes patients; in the hope it can be used as a therapeutic option for other cancer patients.
Where did you work before joining CMPH?
Before I enrolled to study medical science in 2017, I was running two design and manufacturing companies. Most of my work involved collaborating with parents of children who had disabilities or health challenges to create custom baby carriers. I saw a gap in the market for baby carriers that could meet the needs of families dealing with complex health issues, so I focused on designing solutions that made life a little easier for them.
What journey brought you to this point in your career?
While my previous career was incredibly rewarding, I was only able to help one family at a time and I wanted to make a broader impact. That’s essentially what led me back to study medical science. For me, it’s the behind-the-scenes of healthcare, being able to research new therapies that can move into pre-clinical and clinical trials and ultimately help many people.
What is something you love most about your work?
One of things I love about being a scientist is the sense of discovery. Every experiment feels like I’m uncovering a small part of a much bigger puzzle. I really enjoy knowing that what I’m doing now in the lab may one day lead to real treatments that make a difference for those living with cancer. Even when the experiments don’t work or are frustrating, the potential impact keeps me motivated.
How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?
As cliché as it sounds, I love spending my downtime with my friends and family. I’m also training for Busselton Ironman 70.3 in 2026 to raise money for Flinders Foundation, so I spend a lot of early mornings and late nights in the pool, on the bike or going for runs with my squad. It’s a great way to mentally switch off from research whilst staying fit and active.