Education 1978-82: BSc Biochemistry, Stirling University 1982-85: PhD Biochemistry, Oxford University 1985-90: Post-doct. Fellow, Biochemistry Department, Stanford University Research & professional experience 7/1/90-7/1/95: Assistant Prof., UC San Diego, Biology Dep. 7/1/95-7/1/99: Associate Prof. (tenured), UC San Diego, Biology Dep. 7/1/99-10/31/2008: Prof., UC San Diego, Cell & Developmental Biology Dep. 7/1/98-7/1/2003: Adjunct Member, Mario Negri Sud Research Institute, Italy 1999-2000: ICREA Visiting Scientist, Univ. of Barcelona, Spain 2007-Present: Chair, Cell & Developmental Biology, CRG, Spain Awards and Honours Secretary Oxford University Biochemical Society (1982-84); Pirie-Reid Scholar, Oxford University (1982-85); Damon-Runyon Walter-Winchell Post-doct. Fellow, Stanford University (1985-87); American Cancer Society Senior Post-doct. Fellow (1988-90); Basil O'Connor Scholars Award (1992-95); EMBO Elected Member (2009); ASBMB Merck award (2013).

Research interests

We want to understand the mechanism by which eukaryotic cells model membranes to generate transport carriers based on their needs. For example, how bulky molecules such as the collagens are secreted, how mucins are secreted in a regulated manner, and how transport carriers form at the Golgi. Protein such as TANGO’s, PIMS and PKD are helping us resolve this issue. We have uncovered a new pathway by which cells secrete proteins that cannot enter the ER-Golgi pathway of secretion. We hope this will help us understand the mechanism by which cells release various cytokines, growth and angiogenic factors in a signal dependent manner. Finally we are interested in the mechanism by which Golgi complex is built during repeated cycles of cell-division.