SEB Centenary Conference 2023

Dr. Shane Austin

Lecturer in Biochemistry, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus

Shane Austin is a lecturer in Biochemistry and Deputy Dean of Graduate Research and Outreach in the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. He completed his PhD studies at the Medical University of Vienna on a collaborative project with the Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Shane is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where he serves on the Maximizing Access Committee (MAC). The MAC seeks to improve opportunities for biochemistry and molecular biology scientists from marginalised backgrounds. Shane chairs the awards task force on that committee, which is responsible for awarding scholarships, travel awards and society prizes. Shane is also actively involved with the SEB Outreach Education and Diversity group, where he chairs the Awards nomination taskforce, an initiative to improve diversity in the SEB awards scheme. Shane supervises five research students on topics from snail metabolism to circular bioeconomies using anaerobic digestion. He also explores research topics of biochemical education and uterine fibroids in Afro-Caribbean women.

Professor Mark Blaxter

Professor, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Professor Mark Blaxter is the Programme Lead for the Tree of Life (ToL) Programme at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. The ToL Programme aims to sequence all species on Earth to a high quality, collaborating with partners worldwide under the Earth BioGenome Project. Professor Blaxter focuses on generating and analyzing reference genomes for eukaryotic species, particularly within the British Isles. The ToL Programme employs genomics to understand biodiversity, investigate threatened organisms, and provide tools for conservation and climate change mitigation.

With advancements in genomics technology, high-quality genome assemblies can now be developed for thousands of species. The ToL Programme plans to sequence thousands of genomes annually, spanning animals, plants, fungi, and single-celled organisms. Professor Blaxter collaborates with institutions across the British Isles to sequence all 60,000 named eukaryotic species within the next decade. Their work contributes to global genome sequencing projects and the establishment of a comprehensive genomic resource.

Using these genomes, Professor Blaxter and his team construct the tree of life, explore gene evolution, discover cryptic species, track species diversity, study symbiotic relationships, and investigate chromosomal structures. Throughout his career, Professor Blaxter has researched parasitic nematodes and a diverse range of species, championing open access and developing genome analysis tools.

 

: https://www.sanger.ac.uk/person/blaxter-mark/