Owen Duncan

Dr. Owen Duncan is a Senior Research Fellow in Proteomics at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the School of Molecular Sciences and the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation & Analysis. He leads the UWA node of the Western Australian Proteomics Facility, established in 2019, which has secured over $6M in funding. His work focuses on protein homeostasis, proteomics, and plant biology, leveraging mass spectrometry and bioinformatics.

Owen completed his undergraduate studies at UWA in 2006 with First Class Honours in Genetics, followed by a PhD in mitochondrial membrane proteomics in 2012. His doctoral research involved characterizing mitochondrial outer membrane proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana.

His research interests span proteomics, protein turnover, and plant molecular biology, with a focus on mass spectrometry-based proteomics, bioinformatics analysis, and stable isotope labeling to study protein dynamics. Key areas include plant responses to environmental stresses, such as salt stress and high light conditions, and the interplay between transcript and protein abundances in metabolic pathways.

Recent publications highlight his contributions to plant proteostasis, including studies on wheat leaf responses to salt stress and the role of isotope labeling in tracking protein synthesis rates. His work bridges proteomics with plant biology, addressing systems biology and translational control mechanisms.

Dr. Duncan has co-supervised five PhD students and one honors student, contributing to their academic success. The WA Proteomics Facility, under his leadership, provides cutting-edge proteomics services to researchers, supporting interdisciplinary studies across plant science, medical research, and agriculture. He actively participates in collaborations through WA Omics and the Australasian Core Facilities Meetings.