MacLennan, David H

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David H MacLennan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David H MacLennan OC, PhD, FRSC, FRS (born July 3, 1937) is a Canadian biochemist and geneticist known for his basic work on proteins that regulate calcium flux through the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), thereby regulating muscle contraction and relaxation, and for his discoveries in the field of muscle diseases caused by genetic defects in calcium regulatory proteins.

Born in Swan River Manitoba, he received a BSA from the University of Manitoba in 1959 and a DSc (hc) in 2001. He received MS (1961) and PhD (1963) degrees from Purdue University and was then a Postdoctoral Fellow (1963-1964) and an Assistant Professor (1964-1968) at the University of Wisconsin. In 1969, he was appointed Associate Professor in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto and, later, Professor (1974), Chair (1978-1990), J. W. Billes Professor of Medical Research (1987-) and University Professor (1993-).

MacLennan has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the mechanism of ion transport by SR calcium pumps, the storage of calcium in the SR by acidic lumenal proteins and the release of calcium from the SR by calcium release channels. He has led teams that defined the genetic basis for the human skeletal muscle diseases, malignant hyperthermia, central core disease and Brody disease and he has demonstrated that mutations in phospholamban, a regulator of the calcium pump, can cause cardiomyopathy. His identification of a calcium release channel mutation that causes porcine stress syndrome resulted in a diagnostic test that has decreased the incidence of the disease dramatically, with substantial economic benefits to the swine industry.

He is married to Linda Carol (née Vass). They have one daughter (deceased) and two sons.

Honours and Awards

1974 Ayerst Award of the Canadian Biochemical Society
1985 Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
1990 National Lecturer Award of the Biophysical Society
1991 Gairdner Foundation International Award
1994 Fellow of the Royal Society of London
1997 Killam Prize (Health Sciences) of the Canada Council for the Arts
2000 Royal Society Glaxo Wellcome Prize, Medal and Lecture
2001 Fellow of the International Society for Heart Research
2001 Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences USA
2001 Officer of the Order of Canada
2004 Honorary Member of the Japanese Biochemical Society

ISI Highly Cited Researchers http://hcr3.isiknowledge.com/author.cgi?&link1=Browse&link2=Results&id=2057

University of Manitoba Distinguished Graduates http://www.umanitoba.ca/honours/?s=gg&pg=ppl&det=60

Canada Council for the Arts http://www.canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/1999/en127244438700781250.htmlCanada

Journal of Biological Chemistry http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/full/281/25/e20 | | | | | |