Weekender, March 14, 2020
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SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020 A journey of brain science and discovery THE TOP TWO INCHES: Photographed at At an International Women’s Day lunch this week, Gisborne-based Matai a presentation last year, Gisborne-based Matai Research medical imaging centre chief Research medical imaging centre chief executive and research director executive and research director Samantha Holdsworth this week was guest speaker at Samantha Holdsworth talked about her career path. Mark Peters reports. an International Women’s Day lunch. PicturebyPaulRickard fter more than 10 years in research Kiwi in a Silicon Valley environment, she Accountants Australia New Zealand co- she said. She is senior lecturer in medical at California’s Stanford University, said. hosted event, Samantha talked about her physics and advanced medical imaging at medical physicist Samantha “I realised how important it is to be a career pathway from Te Karaka to Stanford Auckland University, chief executive and AHoldsworth realised she brought diverse organisation,” she said. University in California and the University of research director of Gisborne-based medical diferent strengths to the table, she told “Strengths are in diferences, not Auckland where she made breakthroughs in imaging centre Matai Research, and a mother guests at an International Women’s Day similarities.” MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and back of three. lunch this week. As guest speaker at the Business and to Gisborne. Part of that strength was as a rural-town Professional Women Gisborne and Chartered Like many women she wore several hats, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 • Tree Pruning • Tree Removal Got a tree problem? • Branch Chipping • Hedge Trimming We are the solution • Stump Grinding • Storm & Emergency • Powerline Clearance Mention this ad and Tree Surgery | Stump Grinding | Hedges P. 027 395 9153 E. [email protected] www.advanced-treesolutions.com SAVE 15% Specialist in Utility Arboriculture 31691-01 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD Kiwi smile and hard-working attitude a winner FROM PAGE 1 After two years of working in a Stanford basement she walked the short distance Originally from Te Karaka, Samantha went to Stanford Hospital where she met, with on to study physics. some trepidation, neuroradiologists, “After that I realised my real interest lay neurosurgeons and other specialists. with helping people.” Her development of a method that enabled She tapped the keywords better stroke detection in medicine and physics into an the brain was a “lightbulb online search engine which led “Sometimes you moment”, she said. to medical physics study, with have to get out of “I asked one of the clinicians a special interest in MRI, in ‘why didn’t you come to us Queensland. your corner and and introduce yourself?’ “After my PhD I went speak to people “ ey said ‘we thought you travelling by myself through with dif erent were too smart for us’. e South-East Asia,” she said. funny thing is, that’s what “I was a little bit lost.” opinions and we physicists and engineers dif erent ways of thought about the clinicians. STANFORD BOUND “Sometimes you have to When she visited her doing things.” get out of your corner and sister in Seattle she realised speak to people with dif erent Stanford was not too far away — and that opinions and dif erent ways of doing things.” the university had a collection of sculptures Samantha and a colleague shared a by Rodin, her favourite sculptor. Invited to lightbulb moment while watching a TED study at Stanford, Samantha found herself in talk about Eulerian video magnifi cation. e the radiological sciences lab — and met her technology amplifi es minute movements future husband. in real-world videos. A person’s head “I showed up with my Kiwi smile and hard- might seem immobile to the naked eye but working attitude, and I think that’s what got amplifi ed 10 times, the technology shows me through Stanford.” otherwise imperceptible head-wobbling due In her time there she found ways to the heartbeat. to improve MRI methods such as the On realising the method could be applied development of the highest resolution to visualisation of the brain, Samantha and “dif usion” image of the living human brain the colleague immediately put it to the test. in the world at the time. ey found the method visualises brain motion as the heart beats, and shows the movement of the brain in ways never seen before. IN A HEARTBEAT is opened possibilities for non-invasive identifi cation of obstructive brain disorders such as Chiari malformation (structural defects in the part of the brain that controls balance) and hydrocephalous, with the potential to expand this technology to applications in body imaging. “We showed the method to a neurosurgeon who said he almost fell of his chair. “ is method had the potential to understand how the brain moves under Gisborne-based medical imaging centre “ is has happened because of pressure. We’re now looking at applying this Matai has a research focus on concussion relationships, colleagues, community to brain diseases.” and heart disease — a major health issue in support, by keeping going despite challenges After 11 years at Stanford, Samantha this region. Matai Research will also support and embracing strengths in other people.” returned to New Zealand — where she has other areas of research into conditions such learned to balance her various roles. as cancer, paediatrics, musculoskeletal injury, ■ On April 15, leading national and One of her goals at Matai is the diagnosis and kidney disease. international scientists will speak at a and treatment of brain injury. By July, a modular unit at Gisborne Matai mini science symposium at the War HOME AGAIN: Having gained her PhD “In conjunction with my role at the Centre Hospital will house a 3-Tesla state-of-the-art Memorial eatre. e free event will in Australia, travelled around South-East for Brain Research in Auckland, we’re building MRI machine along with related software and start with drinks and nibbles at 4.30pm Asia and studied at California’s Stanford a team that can outline pathways for early hardware. and the talks will run from 5.15pm- University, Dr Samantha Holdsworth has Samantha is optimistic about what lies found work-life balance back in Gisborne. diagnosis and treatment. We have pulled 8.30pm. 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She talked to reporter Murray Robertson. he 47-year-old farmer was brought that opened the door to nearly a decade of early 40s. communities. up on Te Hoe Station at the end of travelling the world. “Life took an interesting turn in 2016 “We have a great team of people around Willow Flat Road on the Mohaka “Travelling is quite addictive” she says. when I was faced with my own mortality.” the council table, very capably led by Mayor, TRiver in Hawke’s Bay, in the shadow “ e more you see, the more there is to She was diagnosed with breast cancer. Rehette Stoltz and Deputy Mayor, Josh of the Mangaharuru Ranges. see.” “Going through this breast cancer journey Wharehinga. “It was a charmed childhood, isolated but It was always going to take a special bloke has aff orded me a personal perspective on “As anyone who has been involved in surrounded by native bush and some of the to stop this wanderer and Sandra married the health and wellbeing of the community. agricultural politics will know, it’s really North Island’s most spectacular scenery. Rob Faulkner in 2002. “Not only amongst people who are refreshing to not be continually fi ghting “When not at school, my pony and I spent ey have two sons — William 17, and suff ering health setbacks of their own, but a rearguard action from the bottom of a our time shadowing my father around the George 14. Together with Rob’s family they also on the sheer amount of talent, support trench.” farm — poor Mum had very little chance of farm Wairakaia Station at Muriwai. and goodwill that exists in this community.” Will she consider standing again at the catching me in the kitchen or garden.” “I love my farming life,” the Nuffi eld Her decision to stand for Hauora next election? She is the daughter of Jim and Beverley Scholar said. Tairawhiti sprang out of that. “I am on a huge learning curve but if Haliburton, who still farm in Havelock “To care for a piece of land that not only Mrs Faulkner was elected to the council as people feel I have represented them well, North, and has an older brother, Alastair, nurtures my family, but nourishes many, a representative for the Taruheru-Patutahi then I will stand again.” who now runs the family farm along with many other families, is a privilege aff orded ward.