BRIAN MORRIS – p. XXX
BRIEF CURRICULUM VITAE 2014
Brian James Morris
AUSTRALIAN; Born 14 July 1950 in Adelaide, South Australia.
Married with 2 daughters aged 18 and 14. Lives in Sydney, Australia.
QUALIFICATIONS
1993: Doctor of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
1975: Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University and University of Melbourne
1972: Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours, University of Adelaide
ELECTION
2002: Fellow, Council for High Blood Pressure Research, American Heart Association
EMPLOYMENT
1978–present: The University of Sydney, School of Medical Sciences (Physiology)
Professor (from 1999)
Professor Emeritus (from Sep 2013)
POSTDOCTORAL:
• CJ Martin Research Fellow of NHMRC 1975–77 (University of Missouri, Columbia, 1975–76 [JO Davis]; Univ of California San Francisco, 1976–77) [with WF Ganong]
• American Heart Association Advanced Fellow (University of California San Francisco, 1977–78)
STUDY LEAVE:
• INSERM U36, Paris,1986 (with P Corvol)
• Univ of Hawaii, Kuakini Medical Centre Department of Geriatric Medicine, USA, Nov 2012–Jan 2013 (with BJ Willcox)
AWARDS
• The Lewis K. Dahl Award and Lecture for 2010 – American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research, presented at HBPR2010 in Washington, DC.
• The Edgeworth David Medal for 1985 – State Science Prize from Royal Society of New South Wales, Australia.
• The 2006 Faculty of Medicine Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision, University of Sydney
• Scroll of Honour, Australia Day Award for community service – The Waverley Council.
MAJOR RESEARCH INTERESTS
Molecular genetics, genomics and molecular biology of hypertension, other common conditions of aging and of longevity.
Molecular screening test for cervical cancer prevention.
Benefits of male circumcision.
Disease prevention through evidence-based diet and lifestyle modification.
KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS
1971: Renin precursor proposed from discovery in biological fluid of renin activation by pepsin and trypsin with ER Lumbers. (Other proteases capable of prorenin activation demonstrated by BJM over subsequent years.)
1975: Demonstration of prorenin in kidney. (In Lab of CI Johnston)
1975: Discovery of existence of angiotensinogen in kidney. (This represented the first real evidence for an intra-renal renin-angiotensin system. In Lab of CI Johnston.)
1977: Identification of the cells that produce angiotensinogen in the liver. (In Lab of
WF Ganong)
1981: Elucidation of the complete biosynthetic pathway of renin. (Biosynthesis of prorenin shown directly.) (with BJM’s graduate student DF Catanzaro).
1981: Cloning of mouse renin cDNA. recombinant DNA technology applied to cardiovascular field) (with graduate student DF Catanzaro and invited collaborator J Shine).
1981: Cloning of mouse kallikrein cDNA (collaborators: J Shine, RI Richards and graduate student DF Catanzaro).
1983: Detection of presence and regulation of renin mRNA in kidney and other tissues.
1983: Cloning and determination of the primary structure of the human renin gene and encoded protein (invited collaborators J Shine and JD Baxter)
1984: Initial cloning and sequencing of human glandular kallikrein gene (with graduate student LJ Schedlich)
1985: Isolation of clones for each human cardiac myosin heavy chain gene (with graduate student DF Catanzaro)
1987: Application of polymerase chain reaction for human papillomavirus detection (for cervical screening) (with invited collaborator BN Nightingale). Patented.
1987: Molecular genetic approaches applied to hypertension research. (First in field)
1991: First genetic association with essential hypertension found (INSR gene).
1992: Genome scan for hypertension begun.
1992: Genetic association found for obesity (low density lipoprotein receptor gene).
1993: Identification of a cardiovascular gene for increased death rate (D allele of ACE gene), so also introducing to the field the concept of “survivor bias”.
1995: Showed that a rare (population frequency 1%) variant of a gene can make a major contribution to essential hypertension in carriers (i.e., glucagon receptor polymorphisms; frequency in hypertensives found to be 5%).
1993–97: Elucidation of molecular mechanism of control of human renin promoter by cAMP (consecutive collaborators WA Hsueh at USC and CD Sigmund at Univ Iowa.)
1998: Discovery of survival/mortality alleles of the inducible nitric oxide synthase gene.
1998: Identification of locus for essential hypertension at chromosome 1p32 from chromosome-wide linkage analysis (with graduate students CL Glenn and WYS Wang).
1999: Glucocorticoid receptor variant highly penetrant for overweight discovered.
1999: Identification, cloning and characterization of pre-mRNA splicing factor ZNF265 (with graduate student DJ Adams)
1999: Identification of common genetic cause for diabetic renal disease and blindness. (Diabetes patient samples supplied by S Colagiuri)
1999: Identification of a gene responsible for coronary artery disease (CAD samples supplied by XL Wang)
2000: Cloning of a new spliceosomal component responsible for alternative splicing (with graduate student DJ Adams)
2001: Discovery of proteins that control human renin mRNA stability. Enzymes of the mitochondrial b-oxidation pathway implicated in RNA processing. Mechanisms elucidated. (with graduate student DJ Adams and collaborator PJ Leedman)
2001–05: Additional spliceosomal factors characterized (with postdoc MA Markus and graduate student AH Mangs)
2005: Generation of mouse with knockout of endogenous renin enhancer (with graduate student DJ Adams).
2005: Identification of genes whose expression is altered in cultured human cells response to an agent (resveratrol) that extends lifespan of other species (with undergraduate student M Stefani)
2009: Resveratrol shown to be capable of influencing alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs (with postdoc MA Markus)
2009–13: Genome-wide gene and microRNA expression changes identified in:
• hypothalamus of a mouse model of neurogenic hypertension (with graduate student FZ Marques, bioinformaticians J Yang and AE Campain, and tissues from GA Head)
• kidney, adrenal, heart and blood vessels of the spontaneously hypertensive rats (with FZ Marques, J Yang and AE Campain)
• kidneys of patients with essential hypertension (with FZ Marques, J Yang, AE Campain; samples supplied by F Charchar and M Tomaszewski). Upregulation of several genes (including renin) then shown experimentally, in cultured human kidney cells, to be a result of reduced expression specific microRNAs.
• showed that same microRNA is downregulated to affect both renin expression and blood pressure in mouse model of genetic hypertension.
2012–14: Molecular genetics of insulin signalling and TOR complex genes in
human longevity. Inverse association of longevity-associated allele of
FOXO3 with height. Currently working on an apparent association of TOR
pathway gene variants with essential hypertension and ISH.
PUBLICATIONS
Number: 344 (incl. 305 in international peer-reviewed journals + 19 book chapters)
Citations: 6,425 (to Feb 26, 2014, according to Web of Science).
H index: 43
ABSTRACTS AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS: 485 (141 international)
PAID INVITATIONS TO SPEAK AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES (29)
(Full airfare, accommodation and honorarium paid by invitee in each case)
1982: International Symposium on Inactive Renin, Porto Cervo. (A Rapelli)
1983: XXXIXth International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Satellite Symposium: Control of Blood Pressure
1984: The Guest Speaker for 10th Anniversary Celebrations, 2nd Dept of Internal Medicine, Ehime University, Matsuyama. (T Kokubu)
1984: Workshop on the Molecular Biology and Genetics of Renin, Cleveland.
1987: International Symposium on Mechanisms and Management of Hypertension, A Satellite of the 10th International Congress of Pharmacology (A Festschrift to Austin Eric Doyle, AO)
1988: ISH Satellite Symposium: Renin Inhibitors - Present and Future, Osaka.
1988: Pfizer Lecturer, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal. (M Cantin)
1990: ISH Satellite Symposium: ‘Activation and Function of Prorenin’, Montreal
1991: Gordon Research Conference: Kallikreins and Kinins, Ventura, California.
1993: The Invited Lecturer at Conference on Molecular Hypertension, Tokyo.
1994: ‘Genes and Genetics’ Satellite Symposium of the 15th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension, Sydney (+ organizer and session chair)
1994: International Society of Nephrology Forefronts in Nephrology Symposium: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Renin-Angiotensin Synthesis and Release, Port Douglas
1996: IInd Franco-Australian Hypertension Meeting, Broome, WA
1996: First Australian/Japanese Collaborative Cardiovascular Research Forum, Palm Cove
1998: Chair, Clinical Genetics session at 17th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension, Amsterdam, and Invited speaker at Clinical Genetics satellite meeting in Maastricht and ACE satellite in Amsterdam.
2000: Chair, Clinical Genetics session at 18th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension, Chicago, and Invited speaker at Genetics satellite meeting in Toledo, OH, USA.
2001: IIIrd Franco-Australian Hypertension Meeting, Corsica, France.
2001: International Union of Physiological Sciences Satellite Meeting ‘Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone: from Molecule to Malady’, Melbourne.
2002: 18th International Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Kyoto.
2003: Acta Physiologica Scandanavica Symposium ‘Functional genomics of the Juxtaglomerular Apparatus’, Odense, Denmark
2005: 2nd International Conference on Healthy Ageing and Longevity, Brisbane
2006: 12th International Symposium on the SHR – Genetics of Experimental and Human Hypertension in Relation with Environmental Factors, Kyoto, Japan
2007: Experimental Biology (FASEB) Annual Meeting 2007, Washington, DC, USA
2007: Session Chair at 4th International AIDS Society Conference, Sydney
2007: IVth Franco-Australian Hypertension Meeting, Kakadu, Sep 2007
2010: 14th International Congress of Endocrinology, Kyoto, Japan
2010: Dahl Award Lecture for 2010, 64th High Blood Pressure Research Conference, American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research, Washington, DC, USA
2012: First Annual World Congress: Understanding the Molecular Basis of Heart Disease and Cancer. Hawaii Institute of Molecular Education, Honolulu, USA, 17-18 Feb 2012
2012: 1st World Congress on Healthy Ageing, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 19-22 Mar 2012
INVITED CONFERENCE TALKS IN AUSTRALIA: 24
(For most, contribution made to all or part of costs + honorarium for some)
1974: Symposium on the Hypothalamus, Postgraduate Cttee of Medicine, Univ of Adelaide.
1990: Future Directions in Cardiovascular Research. Symposium in Honour of Paul Korner
1992: Focus on Hypertension, Marion Merrill Dow/Reed Healthcare Communications Seminar Meeting, Terrigal, NSW
1992: Safeguarding the Heart: Strategies for the 90s, Bristol-Myers Squibb Postgraduate Weekend for Specialists, Gold Coast, Qld
1993: Merck Sharp & Dohme Cardiovascular Lecture Series, Cardiology 1993 Concepts and Controversies, Sydney
1993: Immunogenetics Research Foundation Retreat, Vines Resort, WA
1993 38th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, Perth
1993 Thirteenth Scientific Meeting of the International Epidemiology Association, Sydney
1993: Australian Society for Medical Research Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide
1995: Molecular Biology in the Service of Physiology, Pharmacology and Endocrinology, Joint Meeting of the Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society and the Endocrine Society of Australia, Lorne, Vic
1996: The Endocrine Society of Australia 39th Annual Scientific Meeting (Meet the Expert [Scientific]), Manly, NSW
1996: Australian Society for Medical Research Annual Scientific Meeting, Symposium Speaker, Surfers Paradise, Qld
1997: Eighth Advanced Course in Obstetrics: Women’s Reproductive Health and Care of the Newborn, Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Sydney.
2001: Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone – from Molecule to Malady – satellite Symposium of International Union of Physiological Sciences, Melbourne
2002: Australian Vascular Biology Society 10th National Scientific Conference, Hunter Valley Gardens, NSW
2003: Life Extension Symposium, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
2004: ComBio2004, Burswood, Perth, WA
2006: Invited participant at Human Performance Workshop, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Fisherman’s Bend, Melbourne, 23-24 Nov 2006
2007: ComBio 2007, Darling Harbour, Sydney
2009: Opening address and a talk on genomics of ageing. Australasian Academy of Anti-ageing Medicine 3rd Annual Conference, 3-4 Oct 2009
2010: Hadassah Australia Public Forum: Infant male circumcision: a dilemma for parents. Garvan Institute, moderated by Geraldine Doogue, 23 Aug 2010 (Invited speaker and panelist). Broadcast on ABC ‘Life Matters’ programme 26 Oct 2010.
2010: Living to 100: The Science and the Art. The First Australasian Conference on Centenarians. UNSW, Sydney.
2011: Limmud-Oz Sydney, Univ of New South Wales, 11–13 Jun 2011 (Invited speaker in ‘Circumcision’ session)
2012: Festival of Dangerous Ideas, speaker in ‘Is genital cutting normal?’ session with Germaine Greer and Meredith Jones, Sydney Opera House, 30 Sep 2012.
RESEARCH FUNDING ($A) AWARDED (As first-named chief investigator)
$5,053,259 (60 grants, mostly NHMRC, followed by ARC and NHF) (+ donations $313,807).
TOTAL = $5,367,066
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS:
• Member of NHMRC Grant Review Panels and interview cttees (past two decades)
• Editorial Board of Hypertension (1979-81 and 2002-present)
• Editorial Board of Journal of Hypertension (2003–2007)
• Member, Executive Committee of High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (3 terms; Treasurer, 2008–2010; Editor, 2014–2019)
• Organizer of:
ISH satellite Genes & Genetics 1994
HBPRCA annual conference 2000
Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society 1985
Symposium on Physiological Genomics 2001
Life Extension symposia in 2002 and 2003 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
ISH satellite Cardiovascular Genetics 2012 (Secretary)
• Chair of the Executive Committee International Conference on Healthy Ageing and Longevity 2004, 2005, 2006
• Member, University Recombinant DNA Committee
• Member, University Research Report Committee
• Co-ordinator and Editor for Departmental Research Reports 1978–2014 (24 reports)
• Co-ordinator and Editor for first 3 (now ‘Bosch’) Institute Research Reports
• Member, Faculty of Science Publicity Committee
• Reviewer of more than 550 papers for international journals
• Assessor for an average of at least 12 grant applications per year for national and international granting bodies.
NEWS MEDIA: >100 newspaper reports, >25 TV interviews, >100 radio interviews
COMMERCIALIZATION OF RESEARCH
Has been awarded Patents in the USA, Europe and Australia (priority date Feb 1987) for use of PCR to detect cancer-causing human papillomavirus types in clinical specimens. The initial patent costs were funded by Hoffmann-La Roche. The patents were later purchased by Polartechnics Ltd, to whom he was a consultant to the end of 2009 when this public company went into receivership. He registered the name ‘TamPap’ (tampon human papillomavirus test) for the TamPap test kit that uses samples collected by women themselves, and was the news media spokesperson for the launch of TamPap Pty Ltd in 2007 in Australia, as well as speaking in an infomercial for UK TV in 2011 after its launch in that country. Currently involved in additional avenues for implementation of the test to improve cervical screening.