Marc Wilkins (geneticist)
Encyclopedia
Marc R. Wilkins is an Australia
n scientist who is credited with the concept of the proteome
, and is a Professor in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales
, Sydney
, Australia
.
He coined the term proteome in 1994, whilst developing the concept as a PhD student at Macquarie University
, Sydney, Australia; this being a generalisation of the concept of the genome
to encompass the set of all proteins that can be produced through the genome, through alternative splicing
and post-transcriptional modification
of messenger RNA
.
Dr Wilkins held a post-doctoral fellowship from 1995-1997 at the University of Geneva
, Switzerland
, working with Prof Denis Hochstrasser and Dr Amos Bairoch
. He co-developed many of the protein analysis tools available on the ExPASy
web server. He subsequently served as a senior post-doctoral fellow in the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, which was established by the Australian Government in 1995 as the world’s first dedicated proteome research centre.
In 1997 he co-edited the first book on proteomics
, Proteome Research: New Frontiers in Functional Genomics (Wilkins et al. (eds), Springer Verlag), which has sold more than 4,000 copies.
He was a co-founder, with Dr Jenny Harry, of Australia's largest proteomics company Proteome Systems Ltd. It was established in January 1999, and Dr Wilkins worked there full-time for 6 years as leader of its bioinformatics Research and Development team. It was awarded IBM
's "Rookie of the Year Award" for companies in the Asia-Pacific region, in 2003.
Professor Wilkins has been a Chief Investigator or collaborator on various industrial and academic proteomic projects in areas of renal cell carcinoma, gingivitis, tuberculosis, heart failure, exacerbation in cystic fibrosis, antibiotic resistance in B.subtilis, microbial toxin diversity and mad cow disease. Several of these projects remain the subject of ongoing study. He was the Executive Vice President and Head of Bioinformatics at Proteome Systems Inc, now renamed as Tyrian Diagnostics, located in Woburn
, Massachusetts
and also North Ryde, New South Wales
, Australia. His latest research focus is interactome
and Systems Biology
, is currently a Professor of Systems Biology at the University of New South Wales
, and is the director of the Systems Biology Initiative, New South Wales, Australia.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n scientist who is credited with the concept of the proteome
Proteome
The proteome is the entire set of proteins expressed by a genome, cell, tissue or organism. More specifically, it is the set of expressed proteins in a given type of cells or an organism at a given time under defined conditions. The term is a portmanteau of proteins and genome.The term has been...
, and is a Professor in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
He coined the term proteome in 1994, whilst developing the concept as a PhD student at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, Sydney, Australia; this being a generalisation of the concept of the genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
to encompass the set of all proteins that can be produced through the genome, through alternative splicing
Alternative splicing
Alternative splicing is a process by which the exons of the RNA produced by transcription of a gene are reconnected in multiple ways during RNA splicing...
and post-transcriptional modification
Post-transcriptional modification
Post-transcriptional modification is a process in cell biology by which, in eukaryotic cells, primary transcript RNA is converted into mature RNA. A notable example is the conversion of precursor messenger RNA into mature messenger RNA , which includes splicing and occurs prior to protein synthesis...
of messenger RNA
Messenger RNA
Messenger RNA is a molecule of RNA encoding a chemical "blueprint" for a protein product. mRNA is transcribed from a DNA template, and carries coding information to the sites of protein synthesis: the ribosomes. Here, the nucleic acid polymer is translated into a polymer of amino acids: a protein...
.
Dr Wilkins held a post-doctoral fellowship from 1995-1997 at the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, working with Prof Denis Hochstrasser and Dr Amos Bairoch
Amos Bairoch
Amos Bairoch is a Swiss bioinformatician, born 22 November 1957.Bairoch is currently professor of Bioinformatics at the Department of Structural biology and Bioinformatics of the University of Geneva and group leader at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics...
. He co-developed many of the protein analysis tools available on the ExPASy
ExPASy
ExPASy is a bioinformatics resource portal operated by the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and in particular the SIB Web Team. It is an extensible and integrative portal accessing many scientific resources, databases and software tools in different areas of life sciences...
web server. He subsequently served as a senior post-doctoral fellow in the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, which was established by the Australian Government in 1995 as the world’s first dedicated proteome research centre.
In 1997 he co-edited the first book on proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
, Proteome Research: New Frontiers in Functional Genomics (Wilkins et al. (eds), Springer Verlag), which has sold more than 4,000 copies.
He was a co-founder, with Dr Jenny Harry, of Australia's largest proteomics company Proteome Systems Ltd. It was established in January 1999, and Dr Wilkins worked there full-time for 6 years as leader of its bioinformatics Research and Development team. It was awarded IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
's "Rookie of the Year Award" for companies in the Asia-Pacific region, in 2003.
Professor Wilkins has been a Chief Investigator or collaborator on various industrial and academic proteomic projects in areas of renal cell carcinoma, gingivitis, tuberculosis, heart failure, exacerbation in cystic fibrosis, antibiotic resistance in B.subtilis, microbial toxin diversity and mad cow disease. Several of these projects remain the subject of ongoing study. He was the Executive Vice President and Head of Bioinformatics at Proteome Systems Inc, now renamed as Tyrian Diagnostics, located in Woburn
Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and also North Ryde, New South Wales
North Ryde, New South Wales
North Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is located 15 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde...
, Australia. His latest research focus is interactome
Interactome
Interactome is defined as the whole set of molecular interactions in cells. It is usually displayed as a directed graph. Molecular interactions can occur between molecules belonging to different biochemical families and also within a given family...
and Systems Biology
Systems biology
Systems biology is a term used to describe a number of trends in bioscience research, and a movement which draws on those trends. Proponents describe systems biology as a biology-based inter-disciplinary study field that focuses on complex interactions in biological systems, claiming that it uses...
, is currently a Professor of Systems Biology at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and is the director of the Systems Biology Initiative, New South Wales, Australia.
External links
- UNSW Staff Bio: Professor Marc Wilkins
- The School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Home Page), University of New South Wales
- Carol Ezzell, "Proteins Rule", Scientific AmericanScientific AmericanScientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
(April 2002). - The Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF Ltd)
- Tyrian Diagnostics (formerly Proteome Systems Ltd, up to 6 November 2008)
- Systems Biology Initiative Staff Bio: Professor Marc Wilkins