Robert G. Parton FAA is a British/Australian cell biologist. He is a Group Leader in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland and Deputy Director of the University of Queensland Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis.[1][2]

Robert G. Parton
NationalityBritish/ Australian
Alma mater
University of Edinburgh
University of Leicester
Known forcaveolae biology, endocytosis
Scientific career
Fieldsbiology, cell biology, membrane biology, electron microscopy
Doctoral advisorDavid R. Critchley
Websitehttps://imb.uq.edu.au/research-groups/parton

Education

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Parton studied biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh (1981–1984) and was awarded his PhD from the University of Leicester in 1987. He then joined the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, as a post-doctoral fellow with Gareth Griffiths and Kai Simons while holding Royal Society and EMBO postdoctoral fellowships.[1]

Research

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Parton started his independent research career in 1991, as a junior Group Leader (Staff Scientist) at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. He developed his own research program in endocytosis as well as collaborating with EMBL colleagues including Kai Simons, Jean Gruenberg, Marino Zerial and Carlos Dotti. He moved to the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, in 1996 to join the Centre for Microscopy and a newly formed institute which subsequently became the Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

His research revolves around the plasma membrane, with a particular focus on caveolae, lipids and endocytosis. He has made major contributions to understanding how the plasma membrane function, particularly the molecular mechanisms involved in endocytosis. He was involved in the early research and discovery of caveolins[3][4][5] and the identification and characterization of cavins as major structural components of caveolae.[6][7] His research group currently focuses on the structure and function of caveolae, pathways of endocytosis in cultured cells and in whole animals, nanoparticle delivery vectors and pathways, and the role of lipid droplets in defence against pathogens.[8][1]

Honours and awards

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Parton is the recipient of several national and international awards. In 2009, he was elected to the Australian Academy of Science.[9] In 2023, he was elected as an Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization.[10] He is one of the most highly cited researchers in the field of biology and biochemistry with a H-index of at least 151.[11][12] In 2020, he was named the leading researcher in the field of cell biology in Australia by The Australian.[13] He has received multiple research awards from the ARC, National Heart Foundation, Human Frontier Science Program, NHMRC, and was a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology.[1] He is currently an ARC Laureate Fellow[14] and part of the ERC-funded DRIMMS Synergy Project.[1]

His honours and awards include (sourced from the Grants section of the UQ Researchers profile):[1]

  • NHMRC Excellence Award; highest ranked Program Grant in Australia (2007)
  • Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2009)
  • NHMRC Australia Fellowship (2009)
  • NHMRC Excellence Award; highest ranked Project Grant in Australia (2010)[15]
  • President’s Medal Australian Society of Cell and Developmental Biology (2011)[16]
  • NHMRC Excellence Award; highest ranked Project Grant in Australia (2013)
  • ARC Laureate Fellowship (2021)
  • ERC Synergy Grant (2022)[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Professor Robert Parton - UQ Researchers". researchers.uq.edu.au. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  2. ^ "Professor Robert Parton". cmm.centre.uq.edu.au. 2016-03-29. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  3. ^ Kurzchalia, T. V.; Dupree, P.; Parton, R. G.; Kellner, R.; Virta, H.; Lehnert, M.; Simons, K. (September 1992). "VIP21, a 21-kD membrane protein is an integral component of trans-Golgi-network-derived transport vesicles". The Journal of Cell Biology. 118 (5): 1003–1014. doi:10.1083/jcb.118.5.1003. ISSN 0021-9525. PMC 2289580. PMID 1512286.
  4. ^ Way, M.; Parton, R. G. (1996-01-02). "M-caveolin, a muscle-specific caveolin-related protein". FEBS Letters. 378 (1): 108–112. doi:10.1016/0014-5793(96)82884-5. ISSN 0014-5793. PMID 8549793. S2CID 36497445.
  5. ^ Parton, R. G. (August 1996). "Caveolae and caveolins". Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 8 (4): 542–548. doi:10.1016/s0955-0674(96)80033-0. ISSN 0955-0674. PMID 8791446.
  6. ^ Hill, Michelle M.; Bastiani, Michele; Luetterforst, Robert; Kirkham, Matthew; Kirkham, Annika; Nixon, Susan J.; Walser, Piers; Abankwa, Daniel; Oorschot, Viola M. J.; Martin, Sally; Hancock, John F.; Parton, Robert G. (2008-01-11). "PTRF-Cavin, a conserved cytoplasmic protein required for caveola formation and function". Cell. 132 (1): 113–124. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2007.11.042. ISSN 0092-8674. PMC 2265257. PMID 18191225.
  7. ^ Bastiani, Michele; Liu, Libin; Hill, Michelle M.; Jedrychowski, Mark P.; Nixon, Susan J.; Lo, Harriet P.; Abankwa, Daniel; Luetterforst, Robert; Fernandez-Rojo, Manuel; Breen, Michael R.; Gygi, Steven P.; Vinten, Jorgen; Walser, Piers J.; North, Kathryn N.; Hancock, John F. (2009-06-29). "MURC/Cavin-4 and cavin family members form tissue-specific caveolar complexes". The Journal of Cell Biology. 185 (7): 1259–1273. doi:10.1083/jcb.200903053. ISSN 1540-8140. PMC 2712963. PMID 19546242.
  8. ^ Bosch, Marta; Sánchez-Álvarez, Miguel; Fajardo, Alba; Kapetanovic, Ronan; Steiner, Bernhard; Dutra, Filipe; Moreira, Luciana; López, Juan Antonio; Campo, Rocío; Marí, Montserrat; Morales-Paytuví, Frederic; Tort, Olivia; Gubern, Albert; Templin, Rachel M.; Curson, James E. B. (2020-10-16). "Mammalian lipid droplets are innate immune hubs integrating cell metabolism and host defense". Science. 370 (6514): eaay8085. doi:10.1126/science.aay8085. hdl:20.500.12105/11240. ISSN 1095-9203. PMID 33060333. S2CID 222410725.
  9. ^ "Rob Parton". www.science.org.au. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  10. ^ "IMB scientist joins global research community". imb.uq.edu.au. 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  11. ^ "Robert G. Parton: H-index & Awards - Academic Profile". Research.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  12. ^ "Robert G. Parton". scholar.google.com.au. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  13. ^ "Australia's Cell Biology Field Leader". CBNS. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  14. ^ "2021 Laureate Profile: Professor Robert Parton". Australian Research Council.
  15. ^ "UQ research ranked among Australia's best". imb.uq.edu.au. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  16. ^ "President's Medal". ANZSCDB. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  17. ^ "ERC Synergy Grants 2022 List of proposals selected for funding - Synergy 2022" (PDF). European Research Council. Retrieved 13 April 2023.