Charlene Kunaka-Dambire, PhD (she/her) is a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, UK. She is currently working in the lab of Professor Michael Holdsworth, with a focus on understanding proteostasis, the balance of protein production and degradation.
Charlene’s Journey So Far
Charlene’s academic journey commenced at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa where she graduated with BSc Hons Cum Laude in Microbiology. She then went on to graduate with a MSc Cum Laude in Zoology, specialising in Evolutionary Genomics at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Building on this knowledge, she proceeded to work as a Senior Research Technician in Professor Michael Holdsworth’s lab at the University of Nottingham.
Charlene was drawn to research in plant sciences “by my deep-rooted desire to focus on improving food security in Africa.” Due to the increasing effects of climate change, there is a great deal of urgency to find resilient crop varieties that are resistant to drought, disease, and flooding “especially in some impoverished regions in Zimbabwe where I was born”.
With all of this in mind, she decided to enrol in a part time distance learning Doctorate in Agriculture with Aberystwyth University. During this time, she was supervised by both Professor Holdsworth and Dr Maurice Bosch of Aberystwyth University.
“This intensive program equipped me with advanced knowledge and skills in Plant sciences research.”
After four years of intensive learning and contributing to ground-breaking research Charlene now continues to work in Professor Michael Holdsworth’s lab as a research fellow. She is particularly interested in a process called N-degron pathways, which regulates the lifespan of proteins depending on the specific amino acid at their start. Her project aims to identify proteins regulated by the N-degron pathways in plants and why their conditional stability is important for plant biology and their overall function.
The Importance of Mentors
Charlene’s first mentor was Professor Savel Daniels during her time at Stellenbosch University. Under the mentorship of Professor Daniels, “I transitioned from a student with limited research experience to a proficient researcher in evolutionary genomics”. This was instrumental in honing her skills and understanding of complex research concepts. During her tenure at University of Nottingham, Professor Holdsworth “recognized my potential and offered me opportunities to conduct independent research projects. His belief in my abilities and support for my research endeavours greatly boosted my confidence and motivation”. With Professor Holdsworth’s encouragement, Charlene was able to explore her research interests further by studying towards a Doctorate degree, gaining invaluable experience and paving the way for her development into a skilled and passionate researcher in plant proteolysis.
Based on her own experiences in academia as a Black woman, Charlene recognises the importance of being a mentor for those starting out “I am passionate about providing guidance, support, and encouragement to aspiring young black women, particularly those from Zimbabwe where I was born and here in the United Kingdom.”
Putting her passion into practice, in 2022, Charlene spearheaded the establishment of the Ideas 2 Careers platform, a mentorship initiative aimed at young Zimbabwean women.
“Through this platform, we provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) career guidance and practical advice to students, particularly those from less-visible schools facing socio-economic challenges. Our efforts have resulted in numerous success stories, including aiding students in securing university offers and fundraising for educational resources, such as book awards and laboratory refurbishments.”
Future of Plant Science
Whether it is collaboration, mentorship or food security Charlene believes that it is ultimately about “paving the way for a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Her aspirations are clear and her hopes for plant science are the same “driving innovation in developing stress tolerant crop varieties, and making tangible impacts that transcend disciplinary boundaries.”