Database expert to visit IMB

One of the world leaders in the rapidly growing field of computational biology will be sharing his expertise and insights with Queensland scientists at The University of Queensland on Wednesday, August 29, 2001.

Professor Phil Bourne, head of the Protein Database at the University of San Diego, uses super computers to model information contained in the protein database with a particular interest in mapping the structural diversity of protein families.

Head of UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) Computational Biology team, Professor Mark Ragan, said Professor Bourne's visit to the IMB was a rare opportunity to exchange ideas and explore possible collaborations with one of the world leaders in the field.

"Professor Bourne is recognised world-wide as a researcher at the cutting-edge of the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology," said Professor Ragan.

"During this timely visit when rapid advances are occurring almost daily, he will discuss the importance of large-scale genome projects, of which there are more than 100, that have irrevocably changed the way biology is studied.

"Professor Bourne believes research is moving to a large team approach focussing on very complex problems built around large infrastructural items, like supercomputers or powerful NMR instruments."

Co-director of the IMB Professor John Mattick said the chance to speak with Professor Bourne was a unique opportunity and another example of the how the IMB was leading the way by providing a research environment with world class people, ideas and facilities.

"The growth of our research programs in bioinformatics and computational biology are of paramount importance to biological studies and Professor Bourne's visit will provide valuable opportunities for the IMB and to the world knowledge areas of human and animal biology that we contribute," Professor Mattick said.

The IMB, located at The University of Queensland's St Lucia campus, is one of Australasia's leading research institutes and a major centre for molecular bioscience research. It links leading genomic discovery and bioinformatic facilities with state-of-the-art research in developmental biology, cell biology, structural biology and chemistry.

Professor Bourne is in Australia courtesy of a grant from Silicon Graphics Incorporated and is
* Senior Principal Scientist at the San Diego Supercomputer Centre USA;
* Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of California San Diego;
* Adjunct Professor at the Burnham Institute and the Keck Graduate Institute;
* ACA representative to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS);
* Secretary of the International Society for Computational Biology;
* Past chair of the International Union of Crystallography Computing Commission (IUCrCC); and
* Past chair of the American Crystallography Association (ACA) Computing Committee.

Media: For further information, contact Russell Griggs (telephone 07 3365 1805) or
Helen Weatherley (telephone 0421 056 680).