Cris dos Remedios: Sydney Heart Bank and scientific mentorship beyond 2010

This piece comments on my experiences as a mentee with Cris dos Remedios and the behind the scene occurrences of the Sydney Heart Bank. For those who are interested, included in this Special Issue are letters and commentaries from colleagues and past mentees documenting their experiences with Cris dating back to the 70s.

Stewardship

I first came across Cris in my second-year undergraduate studies where he gave thoroughly enjoyable muscle lectures sprinkled with his trademark storytelling that I and others have come to appreciate. His enthusiasm for his work immediately sparked my interests into the wanders of muscle biology, and that given moment opened the door for me to pursue my undergraduate honours and PhD (2015) in his laboratory.

Cris provided unparalleled support combined with the freedom to peruse research interests. He kept the lab a lively and buzzing environment with MSc and PhD students working on anything and everything from measuring heavy metal toxicity in drinking water, plasma-induced surface activation of medical devices, prostate cancer detection, to cardiac regeneration and muscle biophysics. All these projects were happening at the same time, so the diversity kept lab meetings fresh and us on our toes. This endless passion of his was likely attributed to the numerous inspiring “coffee break meetings” he held with his students and collaborators, resulting in his typical multidisciplinary approach to outstanding research. Even in “retirement” (and I say this loosely), he still manages to keep a good dozen projects going with his boundless energy.

PhDs come with its ups and downs—a universal truth. However, a common theme as you will see from letters and commentaries written by his mentees in this series is that he always welcomed everyone into his lab with open arms. He always treated you as an equal and provided the resources to follow through with your ideas. He encouraged us to perform difficult experiments, learn from others (sent me visit and overseas labs several times) and give talks on the international platform. Cris would often challenge us with the phrase “you may be right” (i.e. you are most probably wrong) and “just do it”. More importantly he encouraged with support—he made the connections, introduction to authors of papers we read, and found the needed funding. To no one’s surprise, he talked the talk and walked the walk and continues to do so.

Towards the end of my PhD, he referred to me as his colleague (not student, or ex-student) and has done so ever since. This is testament to how he treats people as individuals and as a scientist. He has provided unparalleled support ever since—written recommendation letters to my first job in science, to every fellowship and academic job application. In hindsight, Cris taught us how to live and breathe as a scientist and academic by example resulting in many of us to take on the challenge of becoming academics ourselves. We owe all of this to Cris dos Remedios.

From the ~ 40 mentees, fourteen went on to become university academics, eight became doctors and four research scientists (industry/academia). Apologies if I have missed anyone. This brief list underpins his impact in science and the scientific community with some of his first students now in senior positions within universities and hospitals.

The Sydney human heart tissue bank

The Sydney Heart Bank (SHB) was established by Cris in 1989 with the assistance of the late Dr. Victor Chang (Cardiac Surgeon, St. Vincent’s Hospital Sydney). As history goes, Cris had introduced himself to Victor at a social event and explained that he worked in [skeletal] muscle (term he used was “muscle man”) and had long been interested on how the heart works and why people develop heart failure. Without a second blink of an eye, Victor had invited Cris to observe the transplant process and to collect tissue. In the first year, Cris had collected tissue from approximately 30 hearts, that is, 30 midnight wake ups, scrub into theatres, precisely dissect and collect tissue (in liquid nitrogen and fixed in formalin), store tissue and collect clinical notes and pathology reports. Thirty-one years later, the SHB now has some 500 hearts, all thanks to the dedication of Cris and how he manages to magically convince everyone who steps through his lab to do the same.

As far as my recollection would allow, Cris has long envisioned the SHB as a scientific resource available to all with the view that a collective effort could accelerate the discovery of treatments and cures. Over the last three decades, Cris was in essence a one-man show in providing the resources of failing and donor heart samples to everyone around the world who requested tissue. The only two requirements were that the requesting investigator could cover the costs of transport and acknowledges the SHB in any publication or reporting that resulted. It is a time-consuming process of identifying suitable samples for each project, locating each sample, fragmenting each vial of tissue into appropriate volumes, returning the remaining samples, compiling the clinical data, charging the dewar for shipment and organising documents for human tissue transport, including time-consuming customs clearance. It is also no small feat being able to cover long-term maintenance, personnel, consumables and equipment through lab funds and not passing that cost onto the users. For those interested in the Sydney Heart Bank, please see (Li et al. 2013; Lal et al. 2015; Dos Remedios et al. 2017; Dos Remedios et al. 2018; Li et al. 2019).

It was not until 2014 that an executive board and academic board were established to assist with governance of the SHB. The executive board was formed to deal with the increasing demand of request and as such the associated day-to-day activities that go along with it. The academic board, consisting of independent academics and clinicians, reviews the feasibility of projects and conflict of interests. In 2020, with over 50 years in muscle research and over 30 years managing the SHB, Cris has decided to take a step back from being Director of the Sydney Heart Bank but still provides valuable suggestions to incoming project requests and an active role on the Executive Board. There is no denying that Cris has been a tour de force in muscle and human heart research.