Alice Smith Raine Award winner 2000
Alice was given the Raine award in 2000 for her work on pathogenesis IgA nephropathy.
At the time she received the Raine Award, she had been working since 1989 with Professor John Feehally investigating various aspects of the immunopathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. Between them they built up a strong research programme which earned international respect and placed them among the world leaders in the field. Since 1993 she had been lead scientist in this group. As well as contributing scientific innovation, expertise and guidance to the group as a whole, Alice developed her own individual research interests in the cellular control of IgA production and IgA1 O-glycosylation in IgAN and in 2000 was already personally recognised as an international expert in this subject.
Following the Raine Award she also received the Renal Association Martin Lockwood Award for a non-clinical scientist in 2001.
We interviewed Alice to find out what has happened since receiving the award.
Where are you now?
I am working as a Senior Scientist in the NHS, concentrating on effects of exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease as well as continuing to investigate the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. I believe passionately in the importance of exercise in healthcare and have put my money where my mouth is; I am working part-time as a scientist and the other part is spent as a personal exercise trainer. I have recently trained to be an exercise instructor for those with special exercise needs such as people with chronic kidney disease. I plan to combine both parts of my career by undertaking research into the effects of exercise while actually delivering the exercise programmes: a testament to translational science in action.
What did the Raine award mean to your career?
As the first woman and first non-clinical scientist to receive the Raine Award, it was a real honour. It felt as if non-clinical scientists were now recognised as having a full role to play in the Renal Association and also recognised the important role that woman play in the organisation. The Award raised my profile within the renal community and resulted in my election to the Renal Association Executive Committee non-clinical scientist position. Through that post I was able to support non-clinical scientists within the Association to become much more active as a group. There is now a non-clinical scientist working party which aims to support non-clinical renal scientists across the country, a Young Scientist award given at each annual meeting, and reduced rates of registration for scientists at the annual meeting. The Raine award was a huge mark of the esteem that the renal community held me in and it contributed to my promotion to lecturer, and inclusion in a programme grant panel organised by the US National Institutes of Health. The Raine award has been my proudest achievement.
Where has your inspiration come from?
I have been incredibly lucky throughout my career to have been supported by Prof John Feehally and the late Prof John Walls. Both the Johns have inspired confidence, supporting my ideas in all their variety, including the odd wacky one. They prompted my self–development, encouraging me to attend meetings and develop collaborations. They were both aware how important each member is in a team, irrespective of the background of that team member. Their enthusiasm for science was infectious and laid the foundations for many successful careers, not only my own. Both Johns knew the importance of translational medicine, long before the phrase became fashionable. This extended towards supporting my diversification into exercise physiology which has resulted in benefit to the patient, the philosophy of bench to bedside science. Lorna Layward, now working as Senior Research Manager with Help the Aged, who I worked with when I first came to Leicester also has to be mentioned. She championed women in science, a true feminist who saw no limits in what she could achieve. She communicated that in a way that made me believe there were no limits to my potential achievements despite starting off in a very male dominated environment.
What implications has your research had for clinical practice
At present there have been no direct benefits of my research on IgA nephropathy as relates to patient care. However, IgA nephropathy is one of the commonest causes of glomerulonephritis worldwide and a significant cause of end-stage kidney disease. The work we have performed as a research group in Leicester has I think been world leading; identifying abnormalities in glycosylation of IgA among other novel findings allows us to better understand disease pathogensis. Hopefully this will allow new therapeutic targets to be identified in the future. My exercise research which started out in elite performance athletes but is now moving to patients with kidney disease and has much more direct relevance to the patient.
What advice do you have for a successful career in science
Get to know others in the renal field, nationally and internationally. There is an active community out there and being part of it is fulfilling, rewarding and beneficial for your career. The Renal Association is pivotal – go along to the meetings, get involved, join in.
What about the next 10 years
I want to take exercise to the patient and make it a normal part of the clinical service.
Thank you Alice Smith, Raine Award winner 2000