Women in Research: Championing Advanced Malaria Studies in Indonesia

February 11, 2021

Dr. Rintis Noviyanti shared her journey from a WIPO Re:Search fellowship to becoming one of the leaders in immunology research on malaria in Indonesia.

The team (from left to right: Dr Leily Trianty, Dr. Rintis Noviyanti, Ristya Amalia, Nadia Fadila, Pinkan Pertiwi Kariodimedjo, Agatha Mia Puspitasari, Retno Ayu Setya Utami, Dr Farah Novita Coutrier) (Photo: Curtesy of Dr. Rintis Noviyanti).

In 2018, Dr. Rintis Noviyanti from Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (EIMB), Indonesia, participated in a WIPO Re:Search fellowship program with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), Australia. Today, WIPO Re:Search asked Dr. Noviyanti a few questions about her current research and scientific achievements, as well as her experience as a female scientist in the field of medical research.

(Image: Curtesy of Dr. Rintis Noviyanti)

Malaria in the world

Malaria is a life-threatening, preventable and curable disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. In 2019, there were an estimated 229 million cases of malaria worldwide, and the estimated number of malaria deaths that same year stood at 409 000. The African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, however, with the effects of climate change the parasite spreads to areas that have earlier been malaria-free. According to projections for the year 2030, climate change may contribute to additional 60 000 malaria-related deaths.

Dr. Noviyanti, what attracted you to the WIPO Re:Search fellowship?

As a researcher, you always have to plan your career interests way ahead. I always wanted to study immunology and see how to address malaria from this perspective. However, in Indonesia I had been mostly studying genomics of the malaria parasite.

In this context, I saw the fellowship with WEHI as an opportunity to not only make my research progress with the use of state-of-the art technology and in collaboration with other researchers, but also to expand my knowledge and obtain experience in the field. So, it can be said that I came to WEHI with two goals: to get technical knowledge and research assistance on my advanced malaria studies as well as to immerse myself into immunology to the extent I could.

And how did you progress with these two goals?

First of all, I learned how to use Luminex multiplex magnetic bead-based arrays, an advanced technology that we already had in EIMB but could not use to its full capacity. This technology allows one to analyze blood samples and measure multiple proteins in the blood, enabling scientists to screen antibodies in infected populations. In addition, it helps scientists to save time and effort and to decrease costs of analysis. Moreover, it is not only about the technology itself, but the expertise lying behind these technological processes. This was an essential part of my learning that helped me to progress in my research.

Regarding my second goal, I indeed managed to acquire some necessary expertise in immunology, and I am now working on bringing this knowledge into practice.

How did your career develop after the fellowship?

Actually, there have been many benefits that this program brought to me. First of all, my experience with Luminex helped me to train my brilliant team of researchers at EIMB, who can now use the technology we were once neglecting for malaria research. Today, we are the only group of malaria researchers in Indonesia actively using Luminex in our work. Moreover, the EIMB Institute where I am now working, is setting up a government-funded immunology center for research, the first of its kind in Indonesia!

Apart from gaining important new skills and technical expertise, I find the WIPO Re:Search fellowship brought me something even more important – an international scientific network. I am now part of three different collaborations that started after the fellowship, and draw not only on my new skills but also on my new connections.

Could you tell us more about these collaborations?

The main focus of my work remains on malaria. After a sabbatical WIPO Re:Search fellowship, I have extended the collaboration with researchers from WEHI, with whom we are working on measuring the response of antibodies to a particular protein produced by the malaria parasites. The goal of this study is to look for markers of immunity to malaria, in order to understand better what treatment could make people immune to this disease. This collaboration works with a different technology, even more sophisticated than Luminex; we are now at the stage of preparing grant applications to support this project.

Another malaria-focused project with a different research group from WEHI conducts research on biological markers responsible for disease relapse. It is unfortunately often the case that the parasite survives the current malaria treatments and hides in the infected individual’s liver, emerging again when the immune system of the person is weak. For this study, we are currently working on data validations, and planning to use possible new markers to move it further. If the project is successful, we will be able to know quite certainly whether a person is going to have a relapse of malaria.

Finally, there is another project for which I was recently contacted by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this study, I work together with the US CDC and other local scientists at the University and the Ministry of Health doing a sero-survey of COVID-19. Our team performed immunological testing in some regions in Indonesia, aimed to determine whether the communities there have already developed antibody reactivity against SARSCoV2 (the COVID-19 virus). I was able to engage in this project because of the knowledge I gained during my WIPO Re:Search fellowship.

You are doing a lot of interesting work. What motivates you to keep your focus on malaria?

I personally find malaria fascinating. Already when I was finishing graduate school, everyone was talking about it. Today, when I am far from being a young researcher - it is still around, infecting over 200 million people a year worldwide and killing over 400,000 (the data is for 2019). I believe that it is so difficult to eliminate because we are still struggling to understand how exactly it works. In addition, new challenges arise all the time; for example, in 2010, zoonotic malaria (malaria that can spread from animals to humans) was first reported in Indonesia. Since then, the cases of malaria parasites travelling from animals to humans have only increased. My team and I have been working on zoonotic malaria since 2019, in collaboration with Menzies School of Health Research (MSHR), funded by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). We are studying genomic aspects of zoonotic malaria and planning to release our findings later this year.

What is your experience of being a woman in science?

I believe that it has mostly been positive. Of course, I too faced challenges and prejudices, and had to work hard to prove that women are just as good as men in science and medical research. Today, however, I see that the vast majority - probably over 75% - of scientists at EIMB are female, and am confident they will hold the ground. My research group is also fully comprised of bright women, and over these years I have seen how hardworking, clever and determined they are. I can proudly say that my research team is one of the best groups working on genomic research in Indonesia.

What would you say to young women who, like you, would like to build their careers in medical research?

I would encourage the young generations to find something they do not understand and use the technologies and practices that are available to them to focus on it. I would also like to stress, once again, how important networks and relationships are; being a passionate scientist is important, but collaborating with other scientists, from other countries and continents, is crucial. Up until today, I keep extending my network, also through WIPO Re:Search.

Short bio of Dr Rintis Noviyanti

Dr. Rintis Noviyanti is currently the Head at Malaria Pathogenesis Unit and Principal Investigator at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology. Collaborating with scientists internationally, she has published more than 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr Noviyanti is a recipient of many international awards and grants, including from the Australia Development Scheme (ADS), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia, BVGH/WIPO, ACIAR, SPIN-KNAW, FIND, BMGF, and many more. Her research is focused on genomic and immunological aspects of malaria parasites. Dr. Noviyanti enjoys reading scientific articles, listening to and playing easy music on piano, and gardening.