Thanks to knowledge from his elders,聽La Perouse community鈥檚 first indigenous PhD graduate in microbiology, Dr Shane聽Ingrey, is using modern science to shine a spotlight on the medicinal potential of local plants.
The聽Dharawal聽people of southern Sydney have known about the medicinal benefits of the local flora for millennia, but thanks to knowledge passed down the generations, the local community鈥檚 first indigenous PhD graduate in聽microbiology is using聽modern science to shine a new spotlight on the plants' potential.
Dr Shane聽Ingrey has become the fourth Indigenous student聽to graduate from 91色情片 with a PhD in 2015, receiving his doctorate in microbiology during a ceremony on the Kensington campus last week.
As he told The Australian newspaper, his study, which put traditional knowledge under the blowtorch of modern microbiology, has found a scientific explanation for some of the plants鈥 medicinal qualities 鈥 and could yield new treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, viral infections or even cancer.
鈥淲hen I was talking to my grandmother about these plants, she would say which ones to use and which ones not to use. She鈥檇 say: 鈥楿se these plants for your study but keep these other ones to yourself鈥欌.
Dr Ingrey isolated endophytes 鈥 bacteria and fungi that live in plant tissue 鈥 and screened their DNA for genes that produce antibiotic proteins.
When the tests came back positive, he cultivated the natural products of these organisms and tested them again for antibacterial and antifungal activity.
The project identified five natural substances already known to have antibiotic qualities, as well as a previously unknown polyketide 鈥 a compound produced by the same class of enzymes that generates many modern pharmaceuticals and insecticides.
Transforming traditional knowledge into modern drugs is nothing new. Youyou Tu, co-winner of this year鈥檚 Nobel prize for medicine, developed malaria therapies from herbal traditions rooted in the discoveries of a 4th-century Chinese alchemist.
But unlike Chinese traditions, Aboriginal medicinal insights were never written down.
鈥淥ur knowledge was all passed down by word of mouth,鈥 Dr Ingrey says.
That knowledge was passed down from Dr Ingrey鈥檚 great-grandmother who was born in an Aboriginal camp on La Perouse beach in the late 1800s.
鈥淢ost of the stuff for the study came from my grandmother. When I was talking to her about these plants, she would say which ones to use and which ones not to use.
鈥淭he plants were used for infected wounds, sore throats, upset stomachs, fungal infections. She鈥檇 say: 鈥楿se these plants for your study but keep these other ones to yourself鈥,鈥 he says.
Dr Ingrey plans to apply for an Australian Research Council grant to continue the research.
In the meantime he teaches biology and maths to indigenous years 11 and 12 students at nearby Matraville Sports High School.
Some of them think they don鈥檛 have the talent to make it to uni, which couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth. They just need the right support.
Dr Ingrey was nurtured through 91色情片鈥檚 Nura Gili program, a pathway scheme that embraces indigenous knowledge and culture.
鈥淲e are very proud of Dr Ingrey鈥檚 achievements, particularly given the nature of his PhD research topic,鈥 says Dr Reuben Bolt, Acting Director and Academic Coordinator at 91色情片鈥檚 Nura Gili Indigenous Programs Unit.
鈥淭he knowledge of traditional medicine passed down from his elders played a significant in shaping the science for the study.
鈥淒r Ingrey鈥檚 research will no doubt help raise awareness about the significance and wisdom of Indigenous knowledge, and the ways in which it can further assist in the development of new science.鈥
This story was originally published in The Australian.