ICCNS-SPRINGER Award 2012 Recipient
Professor Robert Baxter
After 18 years as Director of the Kolling Institute of Medical Research at the University of Sydney, Rob Baxter stepped down in January 2012 to continue his research on the biochemistry, cell biology, and endocrinology of the insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins. He remains at the Kolling Institute where he heads the Hormones and Cancer Division.
His research has contributed to understanding both the regulation of normal tissue and body growth, and the aberrant cellular growth in cancer and overgrowth syndromes. His group’s achievements include characterizing the protein complexes that carry IGFs in the circulation, and discovering how IGF binding proteins affect cancer cell growth by modulating cell signaling pathways. His collaborative clinical studies have significantly advanced understanding of the role of these proteins in a variety of conditions including pregnancy, tumor-related hypoglycemia, and critical illness. He also heads the laboratory for Cellular and Diagnostic Proteomics in the Kolling Institute, and is involved in biomarker discovery studies in breast and pancreatic cancers, and growth disorders.
Rob received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Sydney in 1973, was awarded a DSc in 1990, and was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2004. He has over 300 research publications, cited >18,000 times. He has served on journal Editorial Boards including Endocrinology, American Journal of Physiology (Endo & Metabolism), and Journal of Biological Chemistry. He has given keynote plenary lectures at conferences in Australia, Europe, South America and the USA, and has received several major research awards including the Dale Medal (Society for Endocrinology, UK), Wellcome Australia Medal, Lemberg Medal (ASBMB) and Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research. He served as president of the Endocrine Society of Australia from 1988-1990, chaired the National Committee for Biomedical Sciences of the Australian Academy of Science from 2006-2009, and is currently Vice-President of the International Society for IGF Research.