From Summer Research Project to International Publication

A summer research opportunity has helped two James Cook University medical students achieve what many researchers spend years working towards — publication in a leading international journal.

Year 4 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students Oliver Ma and Timothy Noack have celebrated the acceptance of their first research article in a Q1 journal, one of the highest-ranked categories of academic publications.

The achievement began through the NQRTH MBBS Summer Research Bursary Program, which gives JCU medical students the opportunity to work alongside experienced researchers during the summer break while developing practical research skills and exploring future career pathways.

For Oliver, seeing the publication accepted was a moment of immense pride.

“It felt amazing to have our first article accepted for publication,” he said.

“We worked really hard on it, so it was incredibly rewarding to have it be accepted.”

Under the mentorship of Associate Professor Joseph Moxon and Associate Professor Alexandra Trollope, the students investigated potential new treatment pathways for stroke patients. Their work focused on proteins that become overexpressed in the brain following a stroke, with the aim of identifying possible targets for future therapies.

“The research was to do with Joe and Alex’s current research interest,” Oliver said.

“They are looking at proteins within the brain that may become over expressed in stroke, with the hope of isolating molecular targets for pharmacotherapy to help stroke patients.”

The project tackled a significant challenge in stroke care. Current treatments are time-sensitive and not available to all patients, creating a need for new therapeutic options.

Timothy said the experience gave him a firsthand understanding of how research can contribute to improving patient outcomes.

“We were able to appraise the current literature to identify if inhibiting histone deacetylase 6 corresponds with statistically significant improvements in structural and functional stroke outcomes,” he said.

“This provides a promising area of future research that Dr Joseph Moxon and Dr Alex Trollope are looking to investigate further and hopefully identify some future targets for stroke therapies.”

While publication was the ultimate goal, both students say the greatest value came from learning how research works in practice.

“The biggest challenge was the amount of behind-the-scenes groundwork that needs to be done,” Oliver said.

“Because we’d never done a review before, we always struggled with knowing what to do and how to do it. Joe and Alex were amazing supervisors who answered all our questions — and often pre-empted them.”

Timothy said balancing the project alongside medical studies and clinical placements was challenging but rewarding.

“It took a lot of discipline to stay organised,” he said.

“Overall, the process taught me how to manage a long-term research project effectively, maintain constant progress throughout the year, and communicate our findings in an understandable way.”

Associate Professor Trollope said the students' achievement demonstrated what can happen when motivated students are given opportunities to engage with research early in their careers.

“Ollie and Tim stand out as shining examples for their peers, demonstrating that with dedication, curiosity, and consistent hard work, it is possible to excel in research while studying medicine,” she said.

“Their success not only reflects their own commitment but also shows other students what can be achieved when collaboration and perseverance come together.”

Associate Professor Moxon said he was proud to see the students' hard work recognised.

“It’s a very proud achievement,” he said.

“Great to see their hard work pay off and has certainly required them both to dig deep and show great resilience at times.”

Importantly, the students' work has already contributed to the next phase of research in the field.

“This would not have happened without the bursary,” Associate Professor Moxon said.

“Ollie and Tim really led the charge here, and with support, did much of the groundwork that enabled the project to be done.”

The findings have since helped shape future laboratory-based research, with a postgraduate researcher set to continue investigating the area through an MPhil project.

For Oliver, the bursary program provided a clear pathway into research at a time when opportunities can sometimes feel difficult to find.

“The opportunities for research as a med student are scarce, and so seeing a list of projects to apply to made it easy,” he said.

“Tim and I had been wanting to participate in research for a while but there was no structured program.”

The experience has also strengthened both students' interest in incorporating research into their future medical careers.

“One thing I’ve learned is that these skills develop gradually rather than all at once,” Oliver said.

“I feel like I’m only just beginning to understand how to write a meta-analysis even after this long process.”

Timothy hopes more students will take advantage of similar opportunities.

“I would encourage everyone to get involved in research at some point in their medical school journey,” he said.

“It was such a fantastic opportunity to meet some very driven and engaged researchers and gain a better appreciation for their work.”