Emeritus Prof. Peter Dunkley

Biography

Professor Dunkley's research has always focused on signal transduction in neuronal and endocrine tissues and especially on protein phosphorylation.

Professor Dunkley has published 96 articles in peer reviewed journals and a further 13 refereed reviews and book chapters. His life time citations are 2347, his h-index is 23 and his average number of citations per article is 25.79. In the last 5 years the number of citations has averaged 103 pa and the average SCI for the journals in which he has published has been 3.511. He was invited by Nature Protocols to write a protocol based on two of his earlier papers which have together been cited 563 times. Since 2004 he has worked on the synthesis of catecholamines and in particular the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. Among these papers are one in the J. Biol. Chem., six in J Neurochemistry and one in Cellular Signalling.

Professor Dunkley has maintained a strong collaboration and mentoring role with young researchers in Brazil. The quality of these publications is lower than those from his laboratory as there are limited funds available in Brazil. His rate of publication has averaged 3 per annum over this period.

Professor Dunkley has a post-doctoral fellow and two PhD students working with him in 2009.

Grants: Professor Dunkley has had continuous support from the NHMRC for 31 years for research in which he was the first named chief investigator. He has also been involved in many other collaborative NHMRC grants as a secondary CI. Professor Dunkley has also had grants from the ARC and many other funding agencies.

Recognition: Professor Dunkley has presented his research at 11 overseas conferences over the last 10 years with 6 being invited presentations.

In 2002 Professor Dunkley received the Hunter Medical Research Institute award for research excellence in the form of a $10,000 prize.

Professor Dunkley has been the neuroscience representative on the ARC biological sciences panel for 3 years and on an NHMRC RGIC on four occasions, including being the deputy chair of the cellular neuroscience panel in 1999 and deputy chair of the molecular neuroscience panel in 2006.

Professor Dunkley was the President (2002-2003) of the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN). He still serves as a member of the ISN finance committee. In addition he is a member of the Asian Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (APSN) council.

Professor Dunkley was the Foundation Head of The School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Newcastle (1998-2002) and he is currently the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health).

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Melbourne, 1973
• Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Melbourne, 1971
• Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne, 1970

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Research

Research keywords

• Catecholamines
• Depression
• Parkinsons' disease
• Protein chemistry
• Signal transduction
• Tyrosine hydroxylase
• protein phosphorylation

Research expertise

My research has always focused on signal transduction in neuronal and endocrine tissues and especially on protein phosphorylation. My interests have moved from myelin basic protein that is able to induce animal models of multiple sclerosis, to synapsin I that controls neurotransmitter release, to tyrosine hydroxylase that controls catecholamine synthesis. My focus recently has been on mechanisms of synthesis and secretion of the catecholamines (dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline) and their consequences in terms of Parkinsons disease, depression and high blood pressure. I have also had an interest in nutritional biochemistry. I have undertaken occasional studies on the uptake of dissolved nutrients in the Sydney rock oyster; the use of blood glucose monitors in diabetics; the teratogenic and oxidative consequences of ethanol consumption; the effects of vitamin A deficiency on gastrointestinal structure and function.

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
060100	Biochemistry And Cell Biology	40
110199	Medical Biochemistry And Metabolomics Not Elsewhere Classified	40
110900	Neurosciences	20

Centres and Groups

Centre

• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (CTNMH)
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine

Memberships

ARC Committee member

• AO Biological Sciences Committee 1996-1998

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• International Society for Neurochemistry
• NHMRC RGIC Committees 1992-1994
• The American Society for Neurochemistry
• The Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Editorial Board.

• Member 1992-1995 - European Journal of Pharmacology
• Member 1991-1994 - Journal of Molecular Neuroscience
• Member 1993-1997 - Journal of Neurochemistry

Appointments

Treasurer International Society for Neurochemistry	01/01/1998 - 01/12/2001
Deputy Chair Neuroscience DP NHMRC (Australia)	01/01/2000 - 01/12/2000
President International Society for Neurochemistry	01/01/2001 - 01/12/2003
Consultant in Biomedical Sciences University of Western Sydney (Australia)	01/01/2005
Consultant in Biomedical Sciences Griffith University (Australia)	01/01/2005
Consultant in Restrospective Analysis of Research Grants NHMRC (Australia)	01/01/2006
Deputy Chair Molecular Neuroscience Panel NHMRC (Australia)	01/01/2006 - 01/12/2006
Invited to Chair Molecular Neuroscience Panel NHMRC (Australia)	01/01/2007

Awards

Research Award.

2002	Award for Research Excellence HMRI (Australia)

Invitations

Plenary Lecturer Japanese Society for Neurochemistry, Japan (Conference Presentation - non published.)

2002

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Administrative

Administrative expertise

Member of the Griffith and University of Western Sydney Medical School Strategic Advisory Groups

Foundation Head, School of Biomedical Sciences

Member of the Executive of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Co-ordinator of Space for the Campus

University Strategic Planning Task Force elected by Academic Senate

Assistant Dean Finance and Personnel/Deputy Director, Medical School

University Planning and Resources Committee elected by the University Senate

Faculty of Medicine Structure Review Committee

Head of Medical Biochemistry (1988-1999)

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Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Biochemistry
• Medical Biochemistry
• Neurochemistry
• Neuroscience

Teaching expertise

B Nutrition and Dietetics

Professional Skills for Laboratory Scientists-B Biomedical Science

Biomedical Sciences Degree and Biomedical Science Hons

International Development Programme Visiting Medical Specialist

B Medicine

Teaching interests

I teach Biochemistry to all students in the Faculty of Health. I focus on metabolism and endocrinology and neuroscience.

Programs

• B Biomedical Science
• B Medicine
• B Pharmacy

Courses

• MEDI1012
• MEDI1015
• MEDI2014
• MEDI2012
• HUBS3403
• HUBS2205