Donald Martin
  1. Current research activities

    2. A/Prof Martin has had formal training in optometry, biomedical engineering and electrophysiology (postdoctoral). His postdoctoral training was as Sydney University as the inaugural Medical Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow (1988–91) studying ion channels in non-excitable cells (exocrine glands), and at St Vincent's Hospital (Senior Research Officer, 1991–96) studying excitable cells (cardiac muscle, smooth muscle) and macrophages. Recent publications have focussed on the relation between ion channels and the cytoskeleton. These studies in macrophages led to recent work, published in The Lancet, implicating ion channels in plaque rupture in the vasculature by describing a new explanation for the action of macrolide antibiotics in heart disease.

    This work has extended to study of ion channels on the cell nucleus, with a publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry detailing the first isolation and characterisation of a chloride channel protein from the cell nucleus. He is now investigating the function of induced ion channel expression in both genetically-engineered cell systems, recently described in the FASEB Journal, and in cell-free systems. For example, in the last ~18 months his work on diabetic retinopathy has resulted in intellectual property that has reached the PCT patent stage and is being commercialised with a European partner.

  2. Keywords

    3. ion channels, cellular engineering, diabetic retinopathy, hydrogel polymers.

  3. End-user applications

    • Eye-care professionals (e.g. ophthalmologists, optometrists) for diagnostics
    • Medical practitioners for diagnostics

  4. Key publications

    5. I. Liu GJ, Simpson AM, Swan AM, Tuch BE, Martin DK (2003). ATP-sensitive potassium channels induced in liver cells after transfection with insulin receptor and GLUT2 transporter regulate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. FASEB Journal. 10.1096/fj.02-0051fje
    II. Martin D, Bursill J, Qui MR, Breit SN, Campbell T (1998). Alternative hypothesis for efficacy of macrolides in acute coronary syndromes. The Lancet 351:1858–1859
    III. Valenzuela SM, Martin DK, Por SB, Robbins JM, Bootcov MR, Schofield PR, Campbell TJ, Breit SN (1997). Molecular cloning and expression of a chloride ion channel of cell nuclei. Journal of Biological Chemistry 272:12575–12582
    IV. Martin DK (1995) Water transport in dehydrating hydrogel contact lenses: implications for corneal desiccation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. 29:857–865
    V. Martin DK, Holden BA (1986). Forces developed beneath hydrogel contact lenses due to squeeze pressure. Physics in Medicine and Biology. 30:635–649

  5. Outreach activities

    6. Australian government trade missions to Europe (2002, 2003)
    Lectures to schoolchildren on nanotechnology as part of “Science in the City” program (2002)
    Lectures to school-children on nanotechnology as part of “Future Problem Solving” program (20030
    Interviewed on children’s programs for TV (areas of neuroscience research)
    Interviewed for news items on TV and radio (areas of research activity)

  6. Key organisation membership

    7. None as yet.

  7. Early career researcher?

    8. No.

  8. Young investigator?

    9. No.

  9. Skills and expertise

    • optometrist (registered in NSW
    • biomedical engineer
    • electrophysiologist
    • Chair, joint RNSH/UTS Animal Care and Ethics Committee

  10. Specialist equipment and infrastructure

    • Patch-clamp electrophysiology
    • molecular biology, tissue culture
    • environmental scanning electron microscopy
    • atomic force microscopy
    • near field scanning optical microscopy

© 2004

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