Completing a PhD is no easy feat, but add significant health challenges, and the academic accomplishment is remarkable.
Recently conferred Dr. Matthew Kratzer spent the last five-and-a-half years working on his PhD in Mechanical Engineering while battling a rare genetic kidney disorder, Dent’s disease.
“As stressful as a PhD can be, my only real goal for the last few years was to survive,” Matt shared.
Matt initially discovered his diagnosis when undertaking his Dual Bachelors degree in Engineering (Honours) and Science.
“I applied for a military engineering scholarship in 2016,” he said.
“I sent in a urine sample as part of the recruitment process, and they contacted me and said my sample looked unusual and recommended I get some testing done.”
Matt was referred to UQ’s Professor Andrew Mallet, who diagnosed him with Dent’s disease: a disorder that causes chronic kidney disease, leading to kidney failure.
“I found this difficult to process – going from being a young man who thinks he’s indestructible, to realising that you’re actually pretty fragile.”
Despite the prognosis Matt remained optimistic, and with the help of Professor Mallett continued to manage his health and complete his undergraduate program just 2 years later in 2018.
But 2-and-a-half years into his PhD, Matt’s chronic kidney disease progressed to Stage 5, requiring a transplant.
“Finding a kidney match can be difficult but I was lucky that my Dad George was able to be my donor,” he said. Matt underwent a kidney transplant in November 2021 at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.
“People often ask me if there was some deep meaning as to why I continued my studies, but the truth was, if I didn’t finish my thesis I would have been pretty disappointed,” he said.
Dr Kratzer is now working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Professor Klimenko researching green hydrogen systems.
Matt said while his PhD journey was not without its struggles, his health challenges have helped to shape the focus of his research work.
“During my transplant I realised that my entire academic career has been self-motivated – I studied problems which were interesting instead of problems which were of value to the community,” he said.
“I thought it would be fulfilling to apply my theoretical knowledge of fluid mechanics to health research, so I am also doing some work with Professor Andrew Mallett on the fluid mechanics of the kidney.
“This way I can combine fulfilling work along with work that I know so well.”
📷 Dr Matt Kratzer and his dad George, who was his kidney donor.
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