Clinician PhD student Dr Sarah Garner is tackling the intricate pathways of HIV.

Her PhD research, supervised by Professor Marc Pellegrini and Dr Cody Allison, is looking at how the virus hides itself in the body.

“My real goal is to harness the pathways that exist in our cells already to try and clear the virus from these hiding places,” Sarah explained.

“So you’ll often find me in the high containment laboratory working on the virus, where I isolate and analyse different types of cells to understand how they respond to viral infection.”

A strong foundation

After graduating from Monash University with an MBBS and BMedSci(Hons), Sarah trained in infectious diseases and microbiology. She obtained Fellowships from both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia, and worked as a specialist before joining the Institute to undertake clincian PhD training.

Sarah said she decided to undertake PhD training in basic research as discoveries can have a big impact on many patients.

“The Institute is a wonderful place to be a student. There is so much support, and the Institute’s facilities are world-class. I feel very lucky to have access to the resources we have. I interact with laboratory heads, postdocs and other students who are very approachable and dedicated, and all of our research benefits from extensive collaboration networks.”

Clinician PhD study at the Institute has provided Sarah with a strong foundation to focus on the big picture.

“I am passionate about research outcomes and world-class healthcare for all people, regardless of income, gender, ethnic background or sexuality,” Sarah said.