Darren is a Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Auckland – and the head of our newly formed Spine Squad.
They’re a team of 14 brilliant researchers. We’ve brought together right here in New Zealand to focus on healing spinal cord injury. I’ll tell you more about them as we announce our exciting new programmes over the next few months. But today I want you to meet Darren.
You may not expect the head of a spinal cord research team to come from the School of Pharmacy. I wondered about that at first and I asked him why he was the right person to lead this team. He answered quickly, “Because of the way I think.”
Darren is a problem solver. “I grew up on a farm,’ he says, “and I loved it. I spent all my time figuring out solutions to problems. How could I get this piece of equipment to that part of the farm, in time for a particular thing to happen, when the original parts weren’t designed to go together? There was always a solution, but the answers didn’t always come from the places you expected them to. I had to be creative.”
“I’m like that as a researcher. I’m addicted to solving problems. I see the solution we’re after, the end goal, and want to unravel the knots keeping us from getting there. As part of that, it’s natural for me to draw from all sorts of different disciplines. I might see work being done with electrical stimulation. Somewhere else, 2 someone is working on remyelination. Another scientist is researching growth factors for nerve regeneration. And I think, how can I put those things together to heal the spinal cord?”
“When I was first introduced to CatWalk”, he continues, “our third child was seriously ill. It was a really hard time. But, we had a treatment plan. We were confident that if we followed that plan she would get better. If that didn’t work, there was another treatment we could try, and another. I realised that is simply not the case for people with a spinal cord injury. And, it shocked me. Spinal cord injury is a life sentence and that just doesn’t seem right to me. We have to do better.”
“The more I research spinal cord injury the more I’m sure it is solvable,” says Darren. “There are so many pieces of research we can bring together. Some are already being used on the spinal cord. Others are being used in different fields. My approach is to look across disciplines. I’m bringing together various tools, techniques, knowledge, and skills to work in unison, so we can heal the spinal cord.”
The boundaries between disciplines don’t matter, the quickest way to a cure is a straight line.
It’s no surprise that the way Darren thinks matches the way CatWalk thinks. “CatWalk’s unique funding model frees us to explore the best solution to heal the spinal cord. Traditional research funding often follows previous investment or a particular pathway. It might be a specific technique or methodology that a researcher is dedicated to, or a different outcome they are looking for.
Thanks to CatWalk, I’m able to look right across the research spectrum. I’m encouraged to hunt out different combinations and possible solutions, focusing on that one objective – curing spinal cord injury.”
“We stand on the shoulders of giants,” acknowledges Darren. “Researchers do sometimes make an incredible breakthrough, and everyone focuses on that. But in reality, there are so many steps along the way. Our work builds on that of those who came before us and we actively collaborate with those around us.”
“Progress comes in a series of small, sometimes unconnected, breakthroughs. We know that a cure will be incremental. Functional improvements that enhance quality of life will come as part of that journey.
Ultimately, we’ll see a landscape of cures that will be applied according to individual needs. Our focus remains intense – to heal the spinal cord.”
“Thankfully, my daughter’s condition has continued to improve. We’re nearing the time when she will be considered ‘all clear’. As we get closer to that milestone, I’m even more driven to give that same hope to those with a spinal cord injury. The Spine Squad are a brilliant team. We’re operating at the top of our scope of practice. With your support, I’m confident we’ll succeed.”
The Spine Squad is just one of the significant steps CatWalk is taking this year. Watch out for the exciting announcements coming over the next few months, and introductions to the rest of the team. I do hope you’ll continue on the journey to a cure with us. We all have a critical part to play, including you. We hope we can rely on your continuing support.
Make a difference, today.
Thank you.