Peter Downes
{{Short description|British biochemist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Sir Pete Downes
|honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE|FMedSci|FRSE}}
|image =
|imagesize =
|alt =
|caption =
|order =
|office = Principal and Vice-Chancellor
of the University of Dundee
|term_start = 2009
|term_end = 2018
|1blankname = {{nowrap|Rector}}
|1namedata = Craig Murray
Brian Cox
Mark Beaumont
|chancellor = The Lord Patel of Dunkeld
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
|deputy =
|predecessor = Sir Alan Langlands
|successor = Andrew Atherton
|office2 =
|term_start2 =
|term_end2 =
|predecessor2 =
|successor2 =
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1953|10|15}}
|birth_place = Manchester, England
|birthname =
|nationality = British
|residence =
|alma_mater = University of Birmingham
|profession = Biochemist
|blank1 = Institutions
|data1 = University of Birmingham University of Cambridge University of Dundee
}}
Sir Charles Peter Downes {{postnominals|country=GBR|OBE|FMedSci|FRSE}} (born 15 October 1953), known as Pete Downes, is a British biochemist and chairman of Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Downes served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee from 2009 until 2018. He is the former Head of the College of Life Sciences and co-founder of the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy (DSTT) alongside Sir Phillip Cohen.{{cite web |url=http://www.dundee.ac.uk/about/staff/profile/pete-downes/ |title=Pete Downes: About |access-date=20 October 2016}} Having contributed to research in the pharmaceutical industry for eleven years prior to joining Dundee, he is one of the top 15 most cited bio-scientists in the UK.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-19244581 |title=Universities Scotland Appointment |access-date=29 January 2017}}
Career
As a pioneering biochemist, Downes was instrumental in establishing the biological importance of the inositol glycerophospholipids and their metabolites. Among his other discoveries are the identification of the mechanism of action for the drug lithium, which has since been used in the treatment of manic depression, and the breakthrough in finding the biochemical pathway that is the most common source of mutations leading to human cancers.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsb.org.uk/about-us/governance/council |title=Royal Society of Biology |access-date=29 January 2017}} As a result of this work, many new avenues have opened up into the discovery of new drugs and to deeper levels of understanding regarding many common diseases.{{cite web |url=http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/professor-pete-downes |title=Professor Sir Pete Downes |access-date=26 January 2017}}
In his capacity as Principal he has focused on fostering research links between academia and industry particularly in his own field of life sciences; his tenure has however seen financial challenges following Government cutbacks in funding.{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14267135.Threat_of_cuts_at_Scottish_university_facing___10m_deficit/ |title=Threat of cuts at Dundee |access-date=28 January 2017}} As former Convenor of Universities Scotland, Downes has spoken out against the UK's decision to exit the European Union citing the potential adverse effect on research funding and freedom of movement for staff and students.{{cite web |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/212912/scotlands-universities-demand-say-brexit-negotiations/ |title=Scotland's universities demand a say |access-date=28 January 2017}} Downes was knighted in the Queen's 2015 Birthday Honours, "For services to Higher Education and Life Sciences."
In February 2018 it was announced by the University of Dundee that Professor Downes would retire as Principal at the end of the year. In explaining his decision he stated that as he would turn 65 later in the year it seemed to be "a natural time to consider the next stage of my life."{{cite web|author1=Roddy Isles|title=Professor Sir Pete Downes to retire as Principal|url=https://www.dundee.ac.uk/news/2018/professor-sir-pete-downes-to-retire-as-principal.php|website=University News|publisher=University of Dundee|accessdate=27 February 2018|date=13 February 2018}} It was announced on 2 July 2018 that Sir Pete would be succeeded as Principal and Vice-Chancellor by Professor Andrew Atherton on 1 January 2019.{{cite web |last1=Isles |first1=Roddy |title=Professor Andrew Atherton appointed Principal & Vice-Chancellor |url=https://www.dundee.ac.uk/news/2018/professor-andrew-atherton-appointed-principal--vice-chancellor.php |website=University of Dundee |publisher=University of Dundee |accessdate=5 July 2018 |date=2 July 2018}} Following the end of his term at Dundee, Downes was appointed chairman of Dynamic Earth in March 2019, the geology-based visitor attraction in Holyrood, Edinburgh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/17488344.sir-pete-is-new-chair-of-dynamic-earth/|title=Sir Pete is new chair of Dynamic Earth|website=HeraldScotland|language=en|access-date=2019-03-13}}
Honours and awards
- 1987 Colworth Medal of the British Biochemical Society
- 1991 Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh{{Cite news|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/pete-downes/|title=Professor Sir Charles Peter Downes OBE FRSE, FMedSci - The Royal Society of Edinburgh|work=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|access-date=2018-03-09|language=en-GB}}
- 2004 Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2009 Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
- 2015 Knight Bachelor{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/434842/Birthday_Honours_2015_main_list.csv/preview |title=Birthday Honours 2015 |access-date=20 October 2016}}
References
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{{University of Dundee}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Downes, Peter}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham
Category:Academics of the University of Dundee
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Category:Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom)