David MacLennan
Encyclopedia
David H MacLennan, OC
, OOnt
, FRSC
, FRS
(born July 3, 1937) is a Canadian biochemist and geneticist known for his basic work on proteins that regulate calcium flux through the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), thereby regulating muscle contraction and relaxation, and for his discoveries in the field of muscle diseases caused by genetic defects in calcium regulatory proteins http://www.utoronto.ca/maclennan.
Born in Swan River Manitoba, he received a BSA from the University of Manitoba
in 1959 and a DSc (hc) in 2001. He received MS (1961) and PhD (1963) degrees from Purdue University and was then a Postdoctoral Fellow (1963-1964) and an Assistant Professor (1964-1968) at the University of Wisconsin. In 1969, he was appointed Associate Professor in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research
http://www.utoronto.ca/maclennan, University of Toronto
and, later, Professor (1974), Chair (1978-1990), J. W. Billes Professor of Medical Research (1987-) and University Professor (1993-).
MacLennan has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the mechanism of ion transport by SR calcium pumps, the storage of calcium in the SR by acidic lumenal proteins and the release of calcium from the SR by calcium release channels. He has led teams that defined the genetic basis for the human skeletal muscle
diseases, malignant hyperthermia
, central core disease and Brody disease and he has demonstrated that mutations in phospholamban
, a regulator of the calcium pump, can cause cardiomyopathy. His identification of a calcium release channel mutation that causes porcine stress syndrome resulted in a diagnostic test that has decreased the incidence of the disease dramatically, with substantial economic benefits to the swine industry.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OOnt
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(born July 3, 1937) is a Canadian biochemist and geneticist known for his basic work on proteins that regulate calcium flux through the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), thereby regulating muscle contraction and relaxation, and for his discoveries in the field of muscle diseases caused by genetic defects in calcium regulatory proteins http://www.utoronto.ca/maclennan.
Born in Swan River Manitoba, he received a BSA from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in 1959 and a DSc (hc) in 2001. He received MS (1961) and PhD (1963) degrees from Purdue University and was then a Postdoctoral Fellow (1963-1964) and an Assistant Professor (1964-1968) at the University of Wisconsin. In 1969, he was appointed Associate Professor in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research
Banting and Best Department of Medical Research
Banting and Best Department of Medical Research is the preeminent Canadian biomedical research institute located on the campus of University of Toronto. The department is named after Drs. Frederick Banting and Charles Best, who discovered insulin and subsequently won a Nobel Prize in medicine....
http://www.utoronto.ca/maclennan, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and, later, Professor (1974), Chair (1978-1990), J. W. Billes Professor of Medical Research (1987-) and University Professor (1993-).
MacLennan has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the mechanism of ion transport by SR calcium pumps, the storage of calcium in the SR by acidic lumenal proteins and the release of calcium from the SR by calcium release channels. He has led teams that defined the genetic basis for the human skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system- i.e. it is voluntarily controlled. It is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac and smooth muscle...
diseases, malignant hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia or malignant hyperpyrexia is a rare life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for general anesthesia; specifically, the volatile anesthetic agents and the neuromuscular blocking agent, succinylcholine...
, central core disease and Brody disease and he has demonstrated that mutations in phospholamban
Phospholamban
Phospholamban, also known as PLN, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PLN gene. Phospholamban is a 52-amino acid integral membrane protein that regulates the Ca2+ pump in cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle cells.- Function :...
, a regulator of the calcium pump, can cause cardiomyopathy. His identification of a calcium release channel mutation that causes porcine stress syndrome resulted in a diagnostic test that has decreased the incidence of the disease dramatically, with substantial economic benefits to the swine industry.
Honours and awards
- 1974 Ayerst Award of the Canadian Biochemical Society
- 1985 Fellow of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
- 1990 National Lecturer Award of the Biophysical Society
- 1991 Gairdner Foundation International AwardGairdner Foundation International AwardThe Gairdner Foundation International Award is given annually at a special dinner to three to six people for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science. Receipt of the Gairdner is traditionally considered a precursor to winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine; as of 2007, 69 Nobel...
- 1994 Fellow of the Royal Society of London
- 1997 Killam Prize (Health Sciences) of the Canada Council for the Arts
- 2000 Royal Society Glaxo Wellcome Prize, Medal and Lecture
- 2001 Fellow of the International Society for Heart ResearchInternational Society for Heart ResearchThe International Society for Heart Research was created to promote the discovery and dissemination knowledge in cardiovascular sciences on a worldwide basis. This is achieved through emitting publications, organizing congresses, and other media....
- 2001 Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences USA
- 2001 Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Manitoba
- 2001 Officer of the Order of Canada
- 2004 Honorary Member of the Japanese Biochemical Society
- 2008 Member of the Order of OntarioOrder of OntarioThe Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...