معرفی
Anthony Don is a Professor in Medical Biochemistry at the School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney. He holds academic positions including membership in the Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation, Brain and Mind Centre, and Charles Perkins Centre. His research focuses on lipid signaling molecules' roles in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis) and metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes). Don has pioneered studies on sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in myelination and ceramide synthase inhibitors for metabolic therapies.
Education:
- BSc (Hons I) in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, UNSW Sydney (1998)
- PhD in Biochemistry, UNSW Sydney (2004)
- NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship, Scripps Research Institute (2004–2007)
Research Interests: The lab uses mass spectrometry and genetic models to study lipid regulation in brain physiology and disease. Key areas include S1P's role in myelin repair, ceramide's role in insulin resistance, and lipid biomarkers for neurodegenerative conditions. Recent work links APOE genotype to Alzheimer's via lipid metabolism.
Key Achievements:
- 2024 NHMRC Marshall and Warren Award
- Discovered S1P's essential role in remyelination (GLIA 2021)
- Developed first potent ceramide synthase 6 inhibitors (Nature Communications 2018)
Advising and Grants: Supervises 6 current PhD/MSc students. Active grants include NHMRC Ideas grants targeting lipid signaling in Alzheimer's and MS. Collaborates internationally with institutions like Scripps Research and NS Brain Bank.
Labs/Teams: Leads the Lipid Signaling and Neurodegeneration lab. Collaborates across disciplines through the Charles Perkins Centre's Obesity and Metabolic Health theme.
