Jonathan Blackburn facts for kids
Professor Jonathan Michael Blackburn (PhD MASSAf) is a British chemist and proteomics researcher. He is currently Chief Scientific Officer of Sengenics, a functional proteomics company and is best known for inventing the KREX protein array technology platform, a proprietary protein folding technology that produces full-length, correctly folded and functionally verified human proteins for various autoantibody biomarker discovery applications.
Research
Blackburn has published more than 153 research articles that have been cited over 1,803 times specifically in research areas focusing on mechanistic enzymology, protein biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics, custom protein microarrays, metabolomics, genomics in diagnostic marker discovery and validation, and polymorphic variation on protein function. He is also listed as the inventor and patent holder for the following applications: Arrays, Method of detecting and/or quantifying an analyte in a biological sample, Protein tag comprising a biotinylation domain and method for increasing solubility and determining folding state, Protein arrays and uses thereof, Method for producing proteins tagged at the N- or C-terminus, Target and method and Method.
Career
Blackburn completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at University of Oxford where he studied penicillin biosynthesis under the supervision of Sir Jack Baldwin, FRS. He then carried out postdoctoral research on the directed evolution of new enzymes at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge with Sir Alan Fersht, FRS.
In 1999, Blackburn founded a start-up biotechnology company in the UK, Sense Proteomic Ltd, to commercialise the protein function microarray technology invented in his academic group. Following a takeover by Procognia Ltd in 2002, Blackburn became the chief scientist of the merged organisation, which employed 70 scientists worldwide, a post he held until early 2006.
In 2006, he co-founded the Centre for Proteomic & Genomic Research – a not-for-profit organisation funded by a R20m grant from the Cape Biotech Trust to provide equipment infrastructure and expertise in the functional genomics sector – where he held the post of executive director of research until he was appointed to the South African Research Chair in Applied Proteomics & Chemical Biology at the University of Cape Town in 2008.
Blackburn is currently the Chief Scientific Officer of Sengenics, heading the advancement and development of novel use of the KREX protein array technology platform. He is also a full-time academic member and head of University of Cape Town’s Applied Proteomics & Chemical Biology group which has a goal of creating a pipeline for each lead program from discovery through to quantitation and application in the human health sector.
Awards and recognition
Blackburn has served on a number of local, national and international committees including: National Health Research Committee (Department of Health, RSA); the biotechnology subcommittee of the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry; the Nominations and Elections Committee, Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO); the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee; and the IIDMM Executive Committee. He also sits on the editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Proteome Research, the Journal of Proteome Science & Computational Biology, and Expert Review of Proteomics.
