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Dr. Karine Gaelle Le Roch is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease and Vector Research at the University of California, Riverside. She received her BA in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the University Paris-Sorbonne, her MS in host-parasite interactions between Oxford University in the UK and the University of Lille in France, and her PhD in Parasitology and host-parasite interactions from the University Paris-Sorbonne. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla and subsequently she was an Institute Fellow at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation. Karine joined the faculty at UCR in 2006. She has earned various honors and awards throughout her career, including the Academic Senate Regent Award for Outstanding Research from the University of California, she was a participant in the Provost Faculty Leadership Program at UCR and the University of California’s Women’s Initiative for Professional Development. In our interview, Karine shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:44)
When she’s not doing science, Karine enjoys sailing in the San Diego Bay, skiing in the winter, spending time with her son, and watching him play soccer.
The Scientific Side (3:38)
Karine studies parasites, and much of her work has focused on the parasite that causes malaria in humans. Over 200 million people are infected with this parasite each year, and malaria is a leading cause of death in children in developing countries. Karine is working to better understand the life cycle of the parasite, how the molecular components in its body work together, and how the parasite’s function can be disrupted after a person has been infected in order to treat and cure malaria.
A Dose of Motivation (5:21)
“You can do it if you’re highly motivated, and consistent, and hard-working. You can actually do what you’ve always been dreaming of doing.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (6:04)
As a person with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects reading and writing, school was sometimes difficult for Karine. Writing was particularly challenging, but molecules and atoms made sense. Hoping to avoid writing as much as possible, Karine immersed herself in science. With support from her parents and others, Karine decided to pursue a career in research. She had a transformative experience doing a research internship in the UK at the University of Wales where she studied parasites under the mentorship of Mike Doenhoff. Karine became fascinated with parasites, and the internship provided outstanding opportunities to see another part of the world, learn English, and get hands-on research experience. Afterwards, she pursued graduate school, and then she worked in an industry postdoctoral fellowship program on drug discovery. This helped Karine decide that she was more interested in the basic science of how parasites work, and she launched her own independent research career as a faculty member.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:45)
Looking back to the early days of her lab, Katherine submitted 70 grant applications before finally getting funding for her first research project. Getting the notice that her grant would be funded was a huge relief, and the timing coincided with her learning that she was pregnant with her son, so it was a really special and positive time in her life. Being persistent and not giving up when faced with repeated rejections was critical. Working with a strong team of amazing and supportive colleagues, students, and postdocs can also help you get through difficult times.
A Shining Success! (24:14)
Karine and her collaborators recently published a paper in Science describing their work using a new drug called MED6-189 that is derived from a natural product and targets multiple pathways of the parasite that causes malaria. As a result of the complex mechanism of the drug’s effects, it will be very difficult for the parasite to evolve resistance to the drug treatment, which is key for addressing this devastating disease over time. In addition, Karine has been working with chemists to improve the compound and make it less expensive to produce so that it could be an accessible treatment option for developing countries. This project is an exciting success, but it has also involved 8-10 years of hard work, and there were many setbacks and failures along the way. Also, the story is not over yet. Karine and her team have a lot of further work to do on the project, but publishing this paper demonstrated that the team can be successful in getting a difficult project done. They hope their research will soon bring a new and effective treatment for malaria into the hands of the people who need it most.
Book Recommendations (26:48)
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Most Treasured Travel (27:44)
Travel has been an important part of Karine’s life and career. One of her favorite places that she has visited on vacation is The Isle of Pines, which is located in the archipelago of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. It is an absolutely beautiful island with pristine beaches and large pine trees. For science, Karine loves traveling to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Her favorite meeting on molecular parasitology is held there annually in September, and it is wonderful to reconnect with colleagues each year to talk about different parasites, new discoveries, and struggles in science. It is also rewarding to mentor early-career faculty and encourage the next generation of researchers at these meetings.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (31:39)
Many scientists that Karine works with are humble and collegial. She enjoys getting together to share good food, drinks, and stories with students and colleagues, and supporting them however she can. Many people may still think about researchers as working by themselves in their labs, but over time, there have been shifts in science from this historical model to more larger-scale, collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects. This is something Karine has experienced, and she really values these opportunities to work with collaborators with different backgrounds.
Advice For Us All (35:29)
Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Be proactive, talk to people, stay connected, and ask them about opportunities. Leave your phone and your technology behind, and really talk to people. This can be eye-opening and can help you find new solutions to problems you may have. Also, don’t be afraid of failure. Remember that work is very important, but so are many other aspects of your life, like getting out in the world, spending time with your family and loved ones, and taking care of yourself.
Guest Bio
Karine’s research primarily focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that enable the survival of the human malaria parasite and its interactions with the human host. Her area of expertise lies in the biology of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and includes the use of genomics and systems biology tools to identify potential new targets for therapeutic interventions. As part of her work, her group has made significant progress in uncovering the role of epigenetics and chromatin structure in regulating gene expression and the parasite’s life cycle progression. She has applied genomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic techniques to gain a deeper understanding of how Plasmodium falciparum adapts to its environment, survives within host cells, and evades both drug treatments and host immune responses. Her research has provided key insights into the biology of the parasite and contributed to the search for new drugs to combat malaria. Outside of work, Karine enjoys a wide range of activities, including sailing, skiing, biking, hiking, and traveling around the world with her family and friends. When not traveling or attending her son’s soccer games, she practices yoga with great dedication!