Alan Cowman

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Alan Cowman

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC|FRS|FAA|CORRFRSE|FAAHMS| FASP|FASMsize=100%}}

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| birth_name = Alan Frederick Cowman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age |1954|12|27|df=y}}

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| fields = Malaria
Microbiology
Parasitology

| workplaces = Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
University of California, Berkeley

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| alma_mater = Griffith University (BSc)
University of Melbourne (PhD)

| thesis_title = Genes of the protozoan parasite Babesia bovis

| thesis_url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/26246844

| thesis_year = 1983

| doctoral_advisor = David J. Kemp

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| website = {{URL|https://wehi.edu.au/people/alan-cowman}}

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Alan Frederick Cowman AC, FRS,{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/alan-cowman-11274/|title=AlanCowman – Royal Society|website=Royalsociety.org|access-date=17 November 2018}} FAA, CorrFRSE, FAAHMS, FASP, FASM (born 27 December 1954) is an internationally acclaimed malaria researcher{{Cite web |last=Research |first=The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical |date=2019-06-10 |title=Queen's Birthday honours for malaria scientist, philanthropist and board member |url=https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/queens-birthday-honours-malaria-scientist-and-philanthropist |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=WEHI |language=en}} whose work specialises in researching the malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and the molecular mechanisms it uses to evade host responses and antimalarial drugs.{{Cite web |title=Alan Cowman |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/alan-cowman-11274/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=royalsociety.org}} {{As of|2024|5}}, he is the deputy directory and Laboratory Head of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne, and his laboratory{{Cite web |publisher=The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research |date=2014-11-03 |title=Alan Cowman-Lab team |url=https://www.wehi.edu.au/people/alan-cowman/724/alan-cowman-lab-team |access-date=2023-01-17 |language=en}} continues to work on understanding how Plasmodium falciparum, infects humans and causes disease.{{Who's Who | author=Anon| title=Cowman, Prof. Alan Frederick | id = U257471 | doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U257471 | year = 2013| edition = online Oxford University Press|location=Oxford}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-21 |title=Professor Alan Cowman |url=https://www.wehi.edu.au/people/alan-cowman |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=WEHI |publisher=Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research}} He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in 2011 and awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia in 2019 for his "eminent service to the biological sciences, notably to molecular parasitology, to medical research and scientific education, and as a mentor."{{cite web |title=Professor Alan Frederick Cowman – Award Extract |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/2004628 |website=honours.pmc.gov.au |publisher=Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=10 June 2019 |date=10 June 2019 |quote=For eminent service to the biological sciences, notably to molecular parasitology, to medical research and scientific education, and as a mentor.}}

Education

Cowman was awarded his Bachelor of Science (honours) from Griffith University in 1979 and received his PhD from WEHI and the University of Melbourne in 1984, with David Kemp as his supervisor.

His PhD thesis involved the cattle parasite Babesia bovis: in conjunction with other students they developed cloning, immunochemical and recombinant DNA techniques to analyze the parasite.{{cite book |last1=Sherman |first1=Irwin |title=Reflections on a century of malaria biochemistry |date=2011 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780080921839 |pages=79–80}}{{cite book |last1=Angus |first1=Beverley Margaret |title=Tick fever and the cattle tick in Australia 1829-1996 |date=1998 |publisher=Dept. of Primary Industries |isbn=9780724267606 |page=471}} This was followed by two postdoctoral projects and further exploring the malaria parasite at WEHI. He then took up a postdoctoral position to study Drosophila at the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from QUT university in Brisbane, Australia in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Technology (QUT) |first=Queensland University of |title=Honorary doctorates |url=https://www.qut.edu.au/about/achievements-and-recognition/honorary-doctorates |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=QUT |language=en}}

Career

Cowman returned to WEHI in 1986, and concentrated his research on genes that make malaria parasites resistant to drugs. In 1999 he was appointed head of the division of infection and immunity, a position which he held until he was appointed deputy director of WEHI in 2015. He also holds honorary professorships with the University of Melbourne and Harvard University.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Cowman's work has been supported by a senior principal research fellowship from the NHMRC since 2018, a Wellcome Trust Australian senior research fellowship in 1988, then by three successive international research scholarships from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He held an Australia fellowship from 2007 to 2012.{{cite web |title=Alan Cowman |url=https://www.malariaworldcongress.org/alan-cowman |website=1st Malaria World Congress |access-date=30 May 2019}}

His research focus has been on protozoan infections, in particular the cause of malaria (Plasmodium falciparum), which kill over 400,000 people each year world-wide.{{cite web |title=Study maps malaria parasite giving hope for vaccine |publisher=NEWS.am Medicine |url=https://med.news.am/eng/news/20546/study-maps-malaria-parasite-giving-hope-for-vaccine.html |website=news.am}} He made significant advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms which the malaria parasites use to take over human cells,{{cite news |last1=Mark |first1=David |title=Protein 'ushers' key to beating malaria |url=https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/02/04/2810028.htm |access-date=31 May 2019 |work=AM |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=4 February 2010 |language=en-AU}}{{cite journal |last1=Cowman |first1=Alan F. |last2=Crabb |first2=Brendan S. |last3=Simpson |first3=Richard J. |last4=Koning-Ward |first4=Tania F. de |last5=Pearce |first5=J. Andrew |last6=Kapp |first6=Eugene A. |last7=Patsiouras |first7=Heather |last8=Gilson |first8=Paul R. |last9=Günther |first9=Svenja |last10=Hodder |first10=Anthony N. |last11=Boddey |first11=Justin A. |title=An aspartyl protease directs malaria effector proteins to the host cell |journal=Nature |date=February 2010 |volume=463 |issue=7281 |pages=627–631 |doi=10.1038/nature08728 |pmid=20130643 |pmc=2818761 |bibcode=2010Natur.463..627B |language=en |issn=1476-4687}} and how they evade the body's natural defenses.

He found that once malaria parasites take over human red blood cells, and remodels them so they can reproduce without triggering the patient's immune system. He also investigated how the parasites build resistance to antimalarial drugs. These two lines of research have helped to guide the development of new drugs, supplemented by his team's monitoring the spread of drug resistance strains.

He also conducts research into the genetic properties of the parasite, and he was the first researcher to develop a live genetically attenuated vaccine of P. falciparum.

Publications

Cowman has published extensively: {{As of|2023|1|lc=y}}, Google Scholar listed over 350 of his papers, and 48,669 citations of his works. Google Scholar calculated his h-index as 124,{{Cite web |title=Alan F. Cowman |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=stz-mSwAAAAJ&hl=en |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=scholar.google.com}} while Scopus gave it as 91.{{Google scholar id|id=stz-mSwAAAAJ}}{{Scopus id}}

Honours and awards

:1993 Gottschalk Medal for Medical Science and Biology from the Australian Academy of Science{{cite web |title=Gottschalk Medal {{!}} Awardees |url=https://www.science.org.au/opportunities-scientists/recognition/honorific-awards/early-career-awards/gottschalk-medal |website=science.org.au |publisher=Australian Academy of Science |access-date=30 May 2019}}

:1994 ASBMB Boehringer-Mannheim Medal

:1998 Glaxo Award for Advanced Research in Infectious Diseases{{cite web |title=Alumni Members {{!}} GSK Award for Research Excellence |url=https://au.gsk.com/en-au/research/gsk-award-for-research-excellence/alumni-members-1/ |website=au.gsk.com |publisher=Glaxo Smith Kline Australia |access-date=30 May 2019 |language=en-AU}}

:2001 Centenary Medal awarded by the Australian government{{cite web |title=Professor Alan COWMAN – Award Extract |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1126384 |website=honours.pmc.gov.au |publisher=Australian government: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=10 June 2019 |date=1 January 2001 |quote=For service to Australian society and science in medical research}}

:2001 Fellow, Australian Academy of Science

:2006 Lemberg Medal awarded by the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology{{cite web |title=Alan Cowman |url=https://www.asbmb.org.au/awards/cowman-html/ |website=ASBMB |access-date=30 May 2019 |language=en}}

:2010 Howard Taylor Ricketts Medal from the University of Chicago{{cite web |title=Malaria researcher wins Howard Taylor Ricketts award |url=https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/waeh-mrw010310.php |website=EurekAlert! press release |access-date=30 May 2019 |language=en}}

:2010 Glaxo-Wellcome Australia Medal

:2010-2014 president, World Federation of Parasitology

:2011 Fellow of The Royal Society

:2013 Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation, Victorian Government and veski

:2013 Mahathir Science Award, Malaysia{{cite web |title=Professor Alan Cowman wins Malaysian science award |url=https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/professor-alan-cowman-wins-malaysian-science-award |website=Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research |access-date=30 May 2019 |language=en |date=30 October 2014}}

:2014 Award for Research Excellence from the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists{{cite web |title=FAOBMB Award for Research Excellence |url=http://faobmb.com/awards/faobmb-award-for-research-excellence/ |publisher=FAOBMB – Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists Inc |access-date=1 June 2019 |language=en-AU}}

:2016 Wellcome Trust grant for development of antimalarial drugs with Merck & Co., Inc.{{cite web |title=Alan Cowman-Achievements |url=https://www.wehi.edu.au/people/alan-cowman/726/alan-cowman-achievements |website=Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research |access-date=30 May 2019 |language=en |date=3 November 2014}}

:2016 Research Excellence Award from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recognising outstanding performance and excellence in health and medical research innovation.{{cite web |title=2016 Research Excellence Award |url=https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/2016-research-excellence-award |website=nhmrc.gov.au |access-date=30 May 2019}}

:2019 Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS){{Cite web|url=https://aahms.org/news/new-fellows-2019/|title=Academy elects new Fellows and discusses global pandemic threat at annual meeting|date=2019-10-09|website=AAHMS – Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-10-11}}

:2019 Companion of the Order of Australia

:2020 Corresponding Fellow, The Royal Society (Edinburgh)