When Dr Betty Kouskousis welcomed donors to Burnet’s laboratories for a rare, behind-the-scenes tour, she wondered how, in just 30 minutes, she could possibly convey the enormous, transformative impact of their contribution.
“When you become a researcher, obviously you love the science, but you do it because you want to help the world. You want to make things better,” says Betty, a microscopy specialist.
“And thanks to our donors, we now have a groundbreaking tool to help us do just that.”
The purchase of the revolutionary new high-resolution microscope, backed by a small group of long-time donors, is already transforming research in the Burnet laboratories, speeding our progress towards better treatments for diseases like malaria, COVID-19, tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
“The most precious commodity for a researcher is time,” Betty explains.
“This new tool enables us to set up a complex experiment that may encompass a sequence such as performing a large overview scan of our sample, finding a specific element within the sample using predeveloped AI algorithms and then producing a high-resolution image of that region.
“We are able to set all this up, run the experiment and walk away from it to pursue other aspects of our research—that’s amazing.”
During the tour, donors gathered around the screen as cellular components were revealed in vivid detail—first the nucleus, then proteins, then mitochondria.
Donors were able to see the intercellular compartments of the cell using super-resolution microscopy. To put this into context the cytoskeletal proteins observed are approximately 7nm in diameter and only micrometres in length.
Seeing the impact of their donations come to life on the screen was a exciting moment.
“Everyone’s always blown away - even me!” Betty says with a smile.
None of this would have been possible without the support of donors including the Will and Dorothy Bailey Charitable Fund, The Ian Potter Foundation, Joe White Bequest, Orloff Family Charitable Trust, and the William Angliss Charitable Fund. Their generosity has given Burnet researchers access to technology that will shape our work for decades to come, helping us to better understand diseases, improve treatments, and ultimately, save lives.
“This instrument will be used for research for the next 20 or 30 years, maybe even longer,” Betty reflects.
“By funding this machine, our donors are making an impact that will last for generations.”
To find out how you can help fund the next groundbreaking technology for our labs, or to express interest in a lab tour, please contact lorelle.lake@burnet.edu.au or call 0411 488 506.
