Dr. Frances Corrigan: Advancing Brain Injury Research and Championing Women in Science
This Brain Injury Awareness Month, we’re recognising Associate Professor Frances Corrigan, whose work is helping us better understand traumatic brain injury.
Associate Professor Frances Corrigan, a Senior Lecturer at the University of South Australia and a leading researcher in traumatic brain injury (TBI), is making significant strides in understanding brain injuries and their long-term effects. With a research focus on the mechanisms behind TBI-related neurodegeneration, her work aims to improve treatment options and enhance recovery outcomes for those affected by head injuries. In a recent interview, A/Prof. Corrigan shared insights into her work, the challenges in TBI research, and her advocacy for women in science.
Work & Research
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in medical research, particularly in traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
In my final year of my undergraduate degree, I took a class on neurological diseases and was inspired by the co-ordinator Professor Robert Vink, who had undertaken pioneering research in understanding how brain oedema (or increased water within the brain) happened after brain injury. Learning that treatments for head injury hadn’t really changed for decades really drove home the importance of finding new ways to treat head injury and improve the outcomes of survivors. Listening to the lived experience of survivors highlights the importance of this research.
2. What areas are you currently focusing on in your research?
Neurons send messages over long distances via their long thin axons, which are very vulnerable to damage in a head injury. This interrupts communication between different areas of the brain and can lead to many of the symptoms associated with head injury, like difficulty with memory, balance problems, and depression. We are investigating how axons are damaged following injury and how we can prevent this damage. I am also interested in how a head injury, in some people, can increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. Given that most people do not go on to develop Alzheimer’s, we are trying to untangle what might be different in those who do and, therefore, work out how to identify these people earlier to provide treatment.
3. What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?
My favourite part of research is being able to work with research students, ranging from summer scholarship, third-year research placement, Honours, Masters, and PhD. It’s great to be able to share how exciting research can be and see them have a moment where it all clicks and they develop their own passion for research.
Challenges & Breakthroughs
4. What are some of the biggest challenges in studying brain injuries, and how is the research community working to overcome them?
Brain injury is a highly variable disease—no two people are injured in the exact same way, nor does the brain respond to injury the same way. This makes it difficult to generalise findings, with the field moving to more personalised medicine—working out who will most likely benefit from which treatments.
5. What do you wish more people understood about TBIs?
That the brain is highly plastic and that there can be remarkable gains with rehabilitation. I also think it is important to understand that you can have a head injury without losing consciousness and that it is important to seek medical attention to ensure that recovery is as smooth as possible. With concussion, the current guidelines are no longer strict rest, but rather the introduction of light activity unless symptoms appear.
6. What is one of the most surprising or exciting discoveries in brain injury research recently?
Recent work has identified a key target that may be driving axonal dysfunction following head injury. Axons send signals by creating an electrical current by moving ions (charged molecules) into and out of the axon. The channels that permit the movement of these ions appear to be particularly vulnerable to head injury—if therapies can be developed to restore or keep these channels in the axon, then their ability to send information will be restored.
Inspiration & Women in Science
7. This year’s International Women’s Day theme is March Forward: Accelerate Action. What action do you think is needed to better support women in science?
Providing better support for career gaps and supporting return to work.
8. What advice would you give to women pursuing a career in science?
It is a very rewarding career where you get to really explore an area of interest. I would suggest making sure to talk to a range of scientists, tour and get experience in a number of labs to understand the breadth of amazing research that is out there, and what best fits your own interests. Also, don’t be afraid to take risks—you can always move to different areas of research no matter what your career stage! Take any opportunity to talk to others in the field, no matter how different their field may seem—it is surprising what collaborations can arise!
9. If you could have a conversation with any woman, past or present, who would you choose and why?
[Response not provided in original interview]
Looking to the Future
10. If you could drive one major change in brain injury awareness or treatment in the next decade, what would it be?
It would be amazing if at least one new therapy could be approved to improve outcomes following head injury! Also, an understanding of the risks associated with repeated head injury, with better ways of stratifying who needs a longer period of recovery to ensure that there are no long-term effects.
Dr. Frances Corrigan’s work continues to push the boundaries of brain injury research, aiming to unlock new therapeutic avenues while advocating for increased awareness and personalised treatment approaches. Her contributions not only shape the future of TBI treatment but also inspire the next generation of scientists, particularly women, to make their mark in the field of medical research.
