Mark Achtman
{{Short description|Canadian bacteriologist}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Mark Achtman
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRS}}
| birth_name =
| image = Professor Mark Achtman FRS.jpg
| image_size =
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| caption = Mark Achtman in 2015, portrait via the Royal Society
| birth_date =
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| fields = {{Plainlist|
| workplaces = {{Plainlist|
- University of Warwick
- Warwick Medical School
- University College Cork
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology}}
| patrons =
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
- McGill University (BSc)
- University of Manitoba (MSc)
- University of California, Berkeley (PhD)}}
| thesis_title = A Genetic Study of the F-Factor
| thesis_url = https://www.proquest.com/docview/302395896
| thesis_year = 1969
| doctoral_advisor = Alvin J. Clark
| academic_advisors = Thomas Trautner
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students =
| known_for =
| influences =
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| awards = {{Plainlist|
| website = {{URL|www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/staff/machtman}}
| footnotes =
| spouse =
| children = Ariel Achtman, Jane Achtman
}}Mark Achtman {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRS}} is an emeritus Professor of Bacterial Population Genetics at Warwick Medical School, part of the University of Warwick in the UK.{{GoogleScholar|a5VMuFUAAAAJ}}{{Scopus|id=7006051116}}{{Cite journal
| pmid = 25848958
| pmc = 4396363
| year = 2015
| last1 = Kay
| first1 = G. L.
| title = Eighteenth-century genomes show that mixed infections were common at time of peak tuberculosis in Europe
| journal = Nature Communications
| volume = 6
| pages = 6717
| last2 = Sergeant
| first2 = M. J.
| last3 = Zhou
| first3 = Z
| last4 = Chan
| first4 = J. Z.
| last5 = Millard
| first5 = A
| last6 = Quick
| first6 = J
| last7 = Szikossy
| first7 = I
| last8 = Pap
| first8 = I
| last9 = Spigelman
| first9 = M
| last10 = Loman
| first10 = N. J.
| last11 = Achtman
| first11 = M
| last12 = Donoghue
| first12 = H. D.
| last13 = Pallen
| first13 = M. J.
| doi = 10.1038/ncomms7717
| bibcode = 2015NatCo...6.6717K
| pmid = 25521852
| pmc = 4270482
| year = 2014
| last1 = Achtman
| first1 = M | authorlink1 = Mark Achtman
| title = Distinct genealogies for plasmids and chromosome
| journal = PLOS Genetics
| volume = 10
| issue = 12
| pages = e1004874
| last2 = Zhou
| first2 = Z
| doi = 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004874
| doi-access = free
}} {{open access}}
Education
Achtman was educated at McGill University and graduated in 1963 (B. Sc. Hon. Bacteriology & Immunology). He then attended the University of Manitoba where he was awarded a Master of Science degree in 1965 for research on hemagglutination in adenovirus.{{cite thesis |degree=PhD|first=Mark|last=Achtman|title=Adenovirus 7: a study of the haemagglutinin and the haemagglutinating system |publisher=University of Manitoba |year=1965 |oclc=184853811}} He went on to complete a PhD on bacterial fertility factor at the University of California, Berkeley in 1969.{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |first=Mark|last=Achtman |title=A Genetic Study of the F-Factor |publisher=University of California, Berkeley |year=1969 |oclc=29422094|id={{ProQuest|302395896}}}}{{Cite journal
| pmid = 4929865
| pmc = 285127
| year = 1971
| last1 = Achtman
| first1 = M
| title = Beginning a genetic analysis of conjugational transfer determined by the F factor in Escherichia coli by isolation and characterization of transfer-deficient mutants
| journal = Journal of Bacteriology
| volume = 106
| issue = 2
| pages = 529–38
| last2 = Willetts
| first2 = N
| last3 = Clark
| first3 = A. J.
| doi = 10.1128/JB.106.2.529-538.1971
}}
Research
Achtman's research interests are in the population genetics of pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae,{{Cite journal | pmid = 25768799| pmc = 4358972| year = 2015| last1 = Didelot| first1 = X| title = The role of china in the global spread of the current cholera pandemic| journal = PLOS Genetics| volume = 11| issue = 3| pages = e1005072| last2 = Pang| first2 = B| last3 = Zhou| first3 = Z| last4 = McCann| first4 = A| last5 = Ni| first5 = P| last6 = Li| first6 = D| last7 = Achtman| first7 = M | authorlink7 = Mark Achtman| last8 = Kan| first8 = B| doi = 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005072| doi-access = free}} {{open access}} Salmonella,{{Cite journal | pmid = 25092320| pmc = 4143038| year = 2014| last1 = Zhou| first1 = Z| title = Transient Darwinian selection in Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi a during 450 years of global spread of enteric fever| journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| volume = 111| issue = 33| pages = 12199–204| last2 = McCann| first2 = A| last3 = Weill| first3 = F. X.| last4 = Blin| first4 = C| last5 = Nair| first5 = S| last6 = Wain| first6 = J| last7 = Dougan| first7 = G | authorlink7 = Gordon Dougan| last8 = Achtman| first8 = M | authorlink8 = Mark Achtman| doi = 10.1073/pnas.1411012111| doi-access = free| bibcode = 2014PNAS..11112199Z}} {{open access}}{{Cite journal
| last1 = Achtman | first1 = M. | authorlink1 = Mark Achtman
| last2 = Wain | first2 = J.
| last3 = Weill | first3 = F. O. X.
| last4 = Nair | first4 = S.
| last5 = Zhou | first5 = Z.
| last6 = Sangal | first6 = V.
| last7 = Krauland | first7 = M. G.
| last8 = Hale | first8 = J. L.
| last9 = Harbottle | first9 = H.
| last10 = Uesbeck | first10 = A.
| last11 = Dougan | first11 = G. | authorlink11 = Gordon Dougan
| last12 = Harrison | first12 = L. H.
| last13 = Brisse | first13 = S.
| author14 = S. Enterica MLST Study Group
| editor1-last = Bessen
| editor1-first = Debra E
| title = Multilocus Sequence Typing as a Replacement for Serotyping in Salmonella enterica
| doi = 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002776
| journal = PLOS Pathogens
| volume = 8
| issue = 6
| pages = e1002776
| year = 2012
| pmid = 22737074
| pmc =3380943
| doi-access = free }} {{open access}} Yersinia pestis,{{Cite journal
| pmid = 24753568
| pmc = 4020045
| year = 2014
| last1 = Reuter
| first1 = S
| title = Parallel independent evolution of pathogenicity within the genus Yersinia
| journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
| volume = 111
| issue = 18
| pages = 6768–73
| last2 = Connor
| first2 = T. R.
| last3 = Barquist
| first3 = L
| last4 = Walker
| first4 = D
| last5 = Feltwell
| first5 = T
| last6 = Harris
| first6 = S. R.
| last7 = Fookes
| first7 = M
| last8 = Hall
| first8 = M. E.
| last9 = Petty
| first9 = N. K.
| last10 = Fuchs
| first10 = T. M.
| last11 = Corander
| first11 = J
| last12 = Dufour
| first12 = M
| last13 = Ringwood
| first13 = T
| last14 = Savin
| first14 = C
| last15 = Bouchier
| first15 = C
| last16 = Martin
| first16 = L
| last17 = Miettinen
| first17 = M
| last18 = Shubin
| first18 = M
| last19 = Riehm
| first19 = J. M.
| last20 = Laukkanen-Ninios
| first20 = R
| last21 = Sihvonen
| first21 = L. M.
| last22 = Siitonen
| first22 = A
| last23 = Skurnik
| first23 = M
| last24 = Falcão
| first24 = J. P.
| last25 = Fukushima
| first25 = H
| last26 = Scholz
| first26 = H. C.
| last27 = Prentice
| first27 = M. B.
| last28 = Wren
| first28 = B. W.
| last29 = Parkhill
| first29 = J
| last30 = Carniel
| first30 = E
| display-authors = 29
| doi = 10.1073/pnas.1317161111
| doi-access = free
| bibcode = 2014PNAS..111.6768R
}}{{YouTube|id=ppRdccBRhhE|title=Mark Achtman on the Plague}} Neisseria meningitidis,{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.1038/35006655
| title = Complete DNA sequence of a serogroup a strain of Neisseria meningitidis Z2491
| journal = Nature
| volume = 404
| issue = 6777
| pages = 502–6
| year = 2000
| last1 = Parkhill | first1 = J. | authorlink1 = Julian Parkhill
| last2 = Achtman | first2 = M. | authorlink2 = Mark Achtman
| last3 = James | first3 = K. D.
| last4 = Bentley | first4 = S. D.
| last5 = Churcher | first5 = C.
| last6 = Klee | first6 = S. R.
| last7 = Morelli | first7 = G.
| last8 = Basham | first8 = D.
| last9 = Brown | first9 = D.
| last10 = Chillingworth | first10 = T.
| last11 = Davies | first11 = R. M.
| last12 = Davis | first12 = P.
| last13 = Devlin | first13 = K.
| last14 = Feltwell | first14 = T.
| last15 = Hamlin | first15 = N.
| last16 = Holroyd | first16 = S.
| last17 = Jagels | first17 = K.
| last18 = Leather | first18 = S.
| last19 = Moule | first19 = S.
| last20 = Mungall | first20 = K.
| last21 = Quail | first21 = M. A.
| last22 = Rajandream | first22 = M. -A.
| last23 = Rutherford | first23 = K. M.
| last24 = Simmonds | first24 = M.
| last25 = Skelton | first25 = J.
| last26 = Whitehead | first26 = S.
| last27 = Spratt | first27 = B. G.
| last28 = Barrell | first28 = B. G. | pmid=10761919
| bibcode = 2000Natur.404..502P
| s2cid = 4430718
}} Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori,{{Cite journal
| pmid = 12624269
| year = 2003
| last1 = Falush
| first1 = D
| title = Traces of human migrations in Helicobacter pylori populations
| journal = Science
| volume = 299
| issue = 5612
| pages = 1582–5
| last2 = Wirth
| first2 = T
| last3 = Linz
| first3 = B
| last4 = Pritchard
| first4 = J. K.
| last5 = Stephens
| first5 = M
| last6 = Kidd
| first6 = M
| last7 = Blaser
| first7 = M. J.
| last8 = Graham
| first8 = D. Y.
| last9 = Vacher
| first9 = S
| last10 = Perez-Perez
| first10 = G. I.
| last11 = Yamaoka
| first11 = Y
| last12 = Mégraud
| first12 = F
| last13 = Otto
| first13 = K
| last14 = Reichard
| first14 = U
| last15 = Katzowitsch
| first15 = E
| last16 = Wang
| first16 = X
| last17 = Achtman
| first17 = M
| last18 = Suerbaum
| first18 = S
| doi = 10.1126/science.1080857
| bibcode = 2003Sci...299.1582F
| s2cid = 1515436
}} and Bordetella.{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.1038/ng1227
| pmid = 12910271
| title = Comparative analysis of the genome sequences of Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica
| journal = Nature Genetics
| volume = 35
| issue = 1
| pages = 32–40
| year = 2003
| last1 = Parkhill | first1 = J. | authorlink1 = Julian Parkhill
| last2 = Sebaihia | first2 = M.
| last3 = Preston | first3 = A.
| last4 = Murphy | first4 = L. D.
| last5 = Thomson | first5 = N.
| last6 = Harris | first6 = D. E.
| last7 = Holden | first7 = M. T. G.
| last8 = Churcher | first8 = C. M.
| last9 = Bentley | first9 = S. D.
| last10 = Mungall | first10 = K. L.
| last11 = Cerdeño-Tárraga | first11 = A. M.
| last12 = Temple | first12 = L.
| last13 = James | first13 = K.
| last14 = Harris | first14 = B.
| last15 = Quail | first15 = M. A.
| last16 = Achtman | first16 = M. | authorlink16 = Mark Achtman
| last17 = Atkin | first17 = R.
| last18 = Baker | first18 = S.
| last19 = Basham | first19 = D.
| last20 = Bason | first20 = N.
| last21 = Cherevach | first21 = I.
| last22 = Chillingworth | first22 = T.
| last23 = Collins | first23 = M.
| last24 = Cronin | first24 = A.
| last25 = Davis | first25 = P.
| last26 = Doggett | first26 = J.
| last27 = Feltwell | first27 = T.
| last28 = Goble | first28 = A.
| last29 = Hamlin | first29 = N.
| last30 = Hauser | first30 = H.
| display-authors = 29
| doi-access = free}} Achtman was one of the inventors of multilocus sequence typing.{{Cite journal
| pmid = 9501229
| pmc = 19708
| year = 1998
| last1 = Maiden
| first1 = M. C.
| title = Multilocus sequence typing: A portable approach to the identification of clones within populations of pathogenic microorganisms
| journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
| volume = 95
| issue = 6
| pages = 3140–5
| last2 = Bygraves
| first2 = J. A.
| last3 = Feil
| first3 = E
| last4 = Morelli
| first4 = G
| last5 = Russell
| first5 = J. E.
| last6 = Urwin
| first6 = R
| last7 = Zhang
| first7 = Q
| last8 = Zhou
| first8 = J
| last9 = Zurth
| first9 = K
| last10 = Caugant
| first10 = D. A.
| last11 = Feavers
| first11 = I. M.
| last12 = Achtman
| first12 = M
| last13 = Spratt
| first13 = B. G.
| doi=10.1073/pnas.95.6.3140
| doi-access = free
| bibcode = 1998PNAS...95.3140M
}} His research has been funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Medical Research Council (MRC).{{cite web|url=http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/person/3C0DD695-8558-47A7-937B-E82890561A4C|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513152900/http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/person/3C0DD695-8558-47A7-937B-E82890561A4C|title=UK Government Research Grants awarded to Mark Achtman|publisher=Research Councils UK|archivedate=2015-05-13}}
Awards and honours
Achtman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2015. His nomination reads:{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/fellowship/2015/mark-achtman/ |title = Professor Mark Achtman FRS |publisher=The Royal Society |archivedate=2015-05-02|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502130806/https://royalsociety.org/people/fellowship/2015/mark-achtman/ |location=London}}
{{quote|Mark Achtman co-pioneered the development of bacterial population genetics and carried out influential studies characterising strains associated with epidemics of meningococcal disease in Africa. He has undertaken remarkable and highly innovative studies on the human gut pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, showing its ancient association with humans and the ability of genetic studies of this pathogen to complement linguistic and human genetic studies to trace the ancient migrations of its human host. He has also carried out elegant and incisive genetic studies of Yersinia pestis to explore the origins and spread of plague pandemics.}}
References
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{{FRS 2015}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Achtman, Mark}}