Robert Parton

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.

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{{Cite journal |last1=Kurzchalia |first1=T. V. |last2=Dupree |first2=P. |last3=Parton |first3=R. G. |last4=Kellner |first4=R. |last5=Virta |first5=H. |last6=Lehnert |first6=M. |last7=Simons |first7=K. |date=September 1992 |title=VIP21, a 21-kD membrane protein is an integral component of trans-Golgi-network-derived transport vesicles |journal=The Journal of Cell Biology |volume=118 |issue=5 |pages=1003–1014 |doi=10.1083/jcb.118.5.1003 |issn=0021-9525 |pmc=2289580 |pmid=1512286}}{{Cite journal |last1=Way |first1=M. |last2=Parton |first2=R. G. |date=1996-01-02 |title=M-caveolin, a muscle-specific caveolin-related protein |journal=FEBS Letters |volume=378 |issue=1 |pages=108–112 |doi=10.1016/0014-5793(96)82884-5 |issn=0014-5793 |pmid=8549793|s2cid=36497445 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1996FEBSL.378..108W }}{{Cite journal |last=Parton |first=R. G. |date=August 1996 |title=Caveolae and caveolins |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8791446/ |journal=Current Opinion in Cell Biology |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=542–548 |doi=10.1016/s0955-0674(96)80033-0 |issn=0955-0674 |pmid=8791446}} and the identification and characterization of cavins as major structural components of caveolae.{{Cite journal |last1=Hill |first1=Michelle M. |last2=Bastiani |first2=Michele |last3=Luetterforst |first3=Robert |last4=Kirkham |first4=Matthew |last5=Kirkham |first5=Annika |last6=Nixon |first6=Susan J. |last7=Walser |first7=Piers |last8=Abankwa |first8=Daniel |last9=Oorschot |first9=Viola M. J. |last10=Martin |first10=Sally |last11=Hancock |first11=John F. |last12=Parton |first12=Robert G. |date=2008-01-11 |title=PTRF-Cavin, a conserved cytoplasmic protein required for caveola formation and function |journal=Cell |volume=132 |issue=1 |pages=113–124 |doi=10.1016/j.cell.2007.11.042 |issn=0092-8674 |pmc=2265257 |pmid=18191225}}{{Cite journal |last1=Bastiani |first1=Michele |last2=Liu |first2=Libin |last3=Hill |first3=Michelle M. |last4=Jedrychowski |first4=Mark P. |last5=Nixon |first5=Susan J. |last6=Lo |first6=Harriet P. |last7=Abankwa |first7=Daniel |last8=Luetterforst |first8=Robert |last9=Fernandez-Rojo |first9=Manuel |last10=Breen |first10=Michael R. |last11=Gygi |first11=Steven P. |last12=Vinten |first12=Jorgen |last13=Walser |first13=Piers J. |last14=North |first14=Kathryn N. |last15=Hancock |first15=John F. |date=2009-06-29 |title=MURC/Cavin-4 and cavin family members form tissue-specific caveolar complexes |journal=The Journal of Cell Biology |volume=185 |issue=7 |pages=1259–1273 |doi=10.1083/jcb.200903053 |issn=1540-8140 |pmc=2712963 |pmid=19546242}} 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.{{Cite journal |last1=Bosch |first1=Marta |last2=Sánchez-Álvarez |first2=Miguel |last3=Fajardo |first3=Alba |last4=Kapetanovic |first4=Ronan |last5=Steiner |first5=Bernhard |last6=Dutra |first6=Filipe |last7=Moreira |first7=Luciana |last8=López |first8=Juan Antonio |last9=Campo |first9=Rocío |last10=Marí |first10=Montserrat |last11=Morales-Paytuví |first11=Frederic |last12=Tort |first12=Olivia |last13=Gubern |first13=Albert |last14=Templin |first14=Rachel M. |last15=Curson |first15=James E. B. |date=2020-10-16 |title=Mammalian lipid droplets are innate immune hubs integrating cell metabolism and host defense |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33060333/ |journal=Science |volume=370 |issue=6514 |pages=eaay8085 |doi=10.1126/science.aay8085 |issn=1095-9203 |pmid=33060333|hdl=20.500.12105/11240 |s2cid=222410725 |hdl-access=free }}

Parton is the recipient of several national and international awards. In 2009, he was elected to the Australian Academy of Science.{{Cite web |title=Rob Parton |url=https://www.science.org.au/profile/rob-parton |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.science.org.au |language=en}} In 2023, he was elected as an Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-05 |title=IMB scientist joins global research community |url=https://imb.uq.edu.au/article/2023/07/imb-scientist-joins-global-research-community |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=imb.uq.edu.au |language=en}} He is one of the most highly cited researchers in the field of biology and biochemistry with a H-index of at least 151.{{Cite web |title=Robert G. Parton: H-index & Awards - Academic Profile |url=https://research.com/u/robert-g-parton |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Research.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Robert G. Parton |url=https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=y5Gx9IUAAAAJ&hl=en |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=scholar.google.com.au}} In 2020, he was named the leading researcher in the field of cell biology in Australia by The Australian.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-12 |title=Australia's Cell Biology Field Leader |url=https://www.cbns.org.au/australias-cell-biology-field-leader/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=CBNS |language=en}} 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{{Cite web |title=2021 Laureate Profile: Professor Robert Parton |url=https://www.arc.gov.au/funding-research/funding-schemes/discovery-program/australian-laureate-fellowships/2021-laureate-profile-professor-robert-parton |website=Australian Research Council}} and part of the ERC-funded DRIMMS Synergy Project.

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

• 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){{Cite web |date=2013-11-01 |title=UQ research ranked among Australia's best |url=https://imb.uq.edu.au/article/2013/11/uq-research-ranked-among-australias-best |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=imb.uq.edu.au |language=en}}
• President’s Medal Australian Society of Cell and Developmental Biology (2011){{Cite web |title=President's Medal |url=https://www.anzscdb.org/presidents-medal-1 |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=ANZSCDB |language=en-AU}}
• NHMRC Excellence Award; highest ranked Project Grant in Australia (2013)
• ARC Laureate Fellowship (2021)
• ERC Synergy Grant (2022){{Cite web |title=ERC Synergy Grants 2022 List of proposals selected for funding - Synergy 2022 |url=https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-10/erc_2022_syg.pdf |access-date=13 April 2023 |website=European Research Council}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Australian biochemists

Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh

Category:Alumni of the University of Leicester

Category:Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science

Category:Academic staff of the University of Queensland