Julian Rayner

Julian Rayner in 2018.

Julian Rayner is a malaria researcher, and a member of academic Faculty at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. He is also Director of Wellcome Genome Campus Connecting Science.

Education

Rayner completed his undergraduate studies in New Zealand, before undertaking his PhD at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. He joined the Sanger Institute in 2008,and became a Senior Group Leader in 2013.[1] In 2014 he was appointed as the Director of Connecting Science for the Wellcome Genome Campus.[2]

Research

Rayner's research interests encompass the origins of Plasmodium parasites, and how their invasion of red blood cells cause all the symptoms of malaria. Working with collaborators such as Dr. Beatrice Hahn, he has demonstrated that Plasmodium falciparum is likely to have originated in gorillas, rather than chimpanzees or ancient humans.[3] Together with colleagues at the Sanger Institute, Rayner has identified a key ligand which is essential for erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum and therefore has significant anti-malarial potential.[4]

Public engagement

In March 2011 Rayner took part in the Argon Zone of the science engagement activity I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!, where he won £500 to put towards a science communication project.[5] Rayner used the prize money to create CD versions of the interactive game Malaria Challenge and distributed copies freely to schools in the UK.[6]

Honours

External lists

References

  1. ↑ "Dr Julian Rayner - Senior Group Leader".
  2. ↑ "Genome Campus appoints Director of Scientific Conferences and Engagement".
  3. ↑ Liu, W; Li, Y; Learn, G. H.; Rudicell, R. S.; Robertson, J. D.; Keele, B. F.; Ndjango, J. B.; Sanz, C. M.; Morgan, D. B.; Locatelli, S; Gonder, M. K.; Kranzusch, P. J.; Walsh, P. D.; Delaporte, E; Mpoudi-Ngole, E; Georgiev, A. V.; Muller, M. N.; Shaw, G. M.; Peeters, M; Sharp, P. M.; Rayner, J. C.; Hahn, B. H. (2010). "Origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in gorillas". Nature. 467 (7314): 420–5. Bibcode:2010Natur.467..420L. doi:10.1038/nature09442. PMC 2997044. PMID 20864995.
  4. ↑ Crosnier, C; Bustamante, L. Y.; Bartholdson, S. J.; Bei, A. K.; Theron, M; Uchikawa, M; Mboup, S; Ndir, O; Kwiatkowski, D. P.; Duraisingh, M. T.; Rayner, J. C.; Wright, G. J. (2011). "Basigin is a receptor essential for erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum". Nature. 480 (7378): 534–7. Bibcode:2011Natur.480..534C. doi:10.1038/nature10606. PMC 3245779. PMID 22080952.
  5. ↑ "Argon Zone – I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here". Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  6. ↑ "I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here". Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  7. ↑ "CA Wright Memorial Medal".
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