2009 ASBMB President's Award: Robert Zi Zhao Lieu

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne

Robert Zi Zhao Lieu completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 2003 at the University of Melbourne. He then took up an Honours project under the supervision of Professor Paul Gleeson in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne, where he investigated the function of a family of peripheral membrane proteins known as trans-Golgi network (TGN) golgins in cultured cells using interference RNA. Robert graduated with a first class Honours in 2004 and was subsequently awarded both a Melbourne University International Fee Remission Scholarship and a Melbourne University International Research Scholarship for his PhD in the same laboratory. The focus of his PhD project was to investigate the role of these TGN golgins in regulating membrane transport pathways using interference RNA in cultured cells and transgenic mice. Using transgenic mice expressing a p230 miRNA construct, he has demonstrated a role for p230 in secretion of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in activated macrophages in vivo. The ability to block secretion of TNFα in vivo has ramifications for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory conditions. His research has resulted in three publications, two as first author and one as second author. In addition, Robert was also a team member in ‘Scyance’, a Young Achievement Australia Biotechnology Entrepreneur company (2005) that developed the ‘Biology Madness’ kit for 8-12 year old children. Robert completed his PhD in January 2009 and remains a postdoctoral researcher in Paul Gleeson`s laboratory. His current research activity focuses on demonstrating that RNAi silencing of p230 in vivo can indeed reduce inflammatory responses and delay the onset of inflammatory disease in mouse models of colitis, where excess secretion of TNFα is involved in pathogenesis of the disease. Robert will use his ASBMB Fellowship to allow him to present his research findings at the 2009 Molecular Membrane Biology Gordon Research Conference at Andover, New Hampshire.

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This page last modified: April 25, 2009.