Christine Winterbourn Earns Otago’s Highest Research Honour
Renowned for her pioneering work on free-radicals and links to disease
Professor Christine Winterbourn, head of the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Free-Radical Research
Group, is this year’s recipient of the University of Otago’s Distinguished Research Medal.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Graeme Fogelberg made the announcement at today’s Senate meeting.
“It’s vital for a University to foster a culture of research excellence, and this culture is made possible by the
leadership of people such as Professor Winterbourn,” Dr Fogelberg says. “She has been absolutely dedicated to the
pursuit of research excellence, and by her own example she has inspired those who work with her to achieve the highest
possible standards in research.
“And in her own right, Professor Winterbourn has made a significant scientific contribution to the fundamental
understanding of the role of free radicals and antioxidants in the development of disease and the maintenance of health.
“I wish to congratulate Professor Winterbourn on her outstanding achievement.”
Upon learning of her honour, a delighted Professor Winterbourn said that it was “very gratifying to see the University
recognising research and particularly for the Free Radical Research Group in Christchurch; after all, research is always
a team effort.
“It’s also recognition for this great group of people who’ve been working with me for a long period.”
When Professor Winterbourn first started in the field 30 years ago, free-radical research was not widely recognised in
relation to medicine and health issues. However, some of the work she was involved in at the time helped raise the
awareness of the role played by free-radicals in health problems.
As a post-doc student working with Professor Robin Carroll – now at Cambridge University – Professor Winterbourn
investigated how anaemia developed as a result of unstable haemoglobin destroying red blood cells.
“My work, along with others, showed that this abnormal haemoglobin was producing excessive amounts of superoxide
radicals, which was a new finding at the time. And this opened up the idea that these radicals were being generated in
the cell all the time, and what they do, and scientists became very interested in the action of free radicals inside
cells and how they originate.”
Free radicals can cause major damage to cells within the human body, and have been linked to the development of
diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke and arthritis.
Professor Winterbourn is currently exploring a number of research topics, including the development and application of
“biomarkers” which can trace the oxidative stress caused by free radicals, and the role of such stress and inflammation
in chronic lung disease and brain injury in premature infants.
“I’ve always felt privileged to work in something I enjoy doing, and to be able to follow up areas that interest me,”
she says. “The best thing is to concentrate on your research, and keep the frustrating aspects under control!”