Richard Cotton (geneticist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Cotton AM
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Professor Richard Cotton
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Richard Graham Hay Cotton
10 November 1940 Wangaratta, Australia
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| Died | 14 June 2015 (aged 74) Melbourne, Australia
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Elizabeth Cotton
(m. 1967) |
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| Awards | Order of Australia (2005) |
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Richard Cotton AM (born November 10, 1940 – died June 14, 2015) was an important Australian medical researcher. He helped start the Murdoch Institute and the Human Variome Project. Richard Cotton spent his career working on ways to prevent and treat genetic problems and birth defects.
As a genetics expert, he helped create special tools called monoclonal antibodies. His methods for finding diseases early, like Phenylketonuria (PKU), have saved many lives. They also helped stop diseases from getting worse. He was a leader in finding genetic changes, creating new ways to spot them. Richard Cotton was one of the first to see the need to record all human genetic changes. This information helps scientists study, treat, and prevent human diseases. As the founder of the Human Variome Project, he led the world in collecting and sharing information about genetic changes. This project helps doctors and scientists around the globe access knowledge. This knowledge can be used to prevent, diagnose, and treat all human diseases.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Cotton grew up on a farm called Kelwhr in South Wangaratta, Australia. The farm had citrus trees and cattle. The money from the farm helped pay for his schooling at Melbourne Grammar School. Later, Richard Cotton gave part of his farm to a group called Trust for Nature. This was to make sure the land stays natural for future generations. He also supported the Glenrowan Football Club.
After high school, Richard Cotton studied Agricultural Science at the University of Melbourne. He lived at Trinity College starting in 1959. He was also part of the rowing team. He finished his first degree in 1963.
Instead of going back to the farm, he continued his studies at the University of Melbourne. Richard Cotton started working on how genes affect living things, especially bacteria. He studied how tiny building blocks of proteins, called amino acids, are made. He earned his PhD from the University of Melbourne in 1967. After that, he worked at top genetics labs around the world. These included the John Curtin School of Medical Research in Canberra, Australia. He also worked at the Scripps Clinic in California and the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge in England. He earned another degree, a DSc, from the University of Melbourne in 1983.
Richard Cotton's Work in Genetics
Understanding Genetic Mutations
After his early discoveries, Richard Cotton focused on how human genetic changes, called mutations, cause inherited diseases and cancer. He greatly helped find the genes for phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is a disease where the body cannot properly break down a certain substance. He helped create tests that are now used worldwide to check all newborn babies for this disease. He also came up with a test to find serious types of PKU. This work has helped many children get early treatment.
Founding the Murdoch Children's Research Institute
In 1986, Professor Richard Cotton and Dr. David Danks started The Murdoch Institute. It is now called the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. It is located at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. This institute brought important genetic research to Australia. Their idea was to create a place for independent genetic research. It has grown from a few researchers to a world-class center.
In 1991, Professor Cotton started the Mutation Detection Conferences and Workshops. These events bring together top scientists to share ideas. They also help young scientists learn new ways to find genetic changes.
New Ways to Detect DNA Changes
Richard Cotton also invented methods called chemical cleavage and enzyme cleavage. At the time, these were the most accurate ways to find changes in DNA. He encouraged others to see "Mutation Detection" as its own important field in genetics. He wrote many articles about this topic.
Starting the Human Mutation Journal
In 1992, Professor Cotton started a science magazine called Human Mutation. Today, it is one of the top genetics journals in the world. He started it because he thought it was strange that doctors and researchers had no place to report and check the importance of the genetic changes they found in patients.
The Human Variome Project
Starting the Human Mutation journal led Cotton and his colleagues to work on a bigger goal. They wanted to collect information about genetic changes in a standard and complete way for all genes. In 1996, Cotton set up the Human Genome Organization Mutation Database Initiative. This later became the Human Genome Variation Society in 2001.
In the early 2000s, after the Human Genome Project was finished, it became clear that more international effort was needed. This effort would help collect, organize, understand, and share information about genetic changes. From this idea, Richard Cotton founded and launched the Human Variome Project.
The Human Variome Project began in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006. The first meeting included top geneticists, doctors, and computer scientists from around the world. Representatives from important groups like the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO also attended.
How the Human Variome Project Helps
The Human Variome Project believes that sharing local genetic knowledge globally can greatly improve medical genetics. If doctors, researchers, and families can quickly access this knowledge, it can change medicine by:
- Helping doctors find and treat rare genetic diseases faster.
- Allowing new tests for diseases to be developed.
- Helping researchers find new treatments for thousands of genetic diseases.
- Helping uncover the causes of common diseases, like breast cancer and asthma.
Beyond helping individual patients, understanding our genes helps governments create better public health plans. A full understanding of genes and health can lead to more effective health strategies, including:
- Programs to find parents who might have a child with a genetic disorder.
- Care before pregnancy, including checking family history for genetic risks.
- Routine checks during pregnancy to find genetic disorders before birth.
- Genetic counseling to help parents understand treatment and family planning options.
- Newborn screening programs to find treatable genetic disorders soon after birth.
The Human Variome Project is often asked to give expert advice on documenting genetic changes worldwide.
Awards and Recognition
Order of Australia
In 2005, Professor Richard Cotton was recognized for his important work in human genetics. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia. This award was for his service to science through genetic research. It especially recognized his work in developing ways to find gene mutations that cause birth defects or diseases. It also honored his efforts to record these findings.
UNESCO and WHO Endorsements
In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognized the importance of the Human Variome Project. UNESCO made the project an Official Partner.
Selwyn Smith Medical Research Prize
Richard Cotton received the Selwyn-Smith Medical Research Prize in 1991. He won for his work on DNA probes, genetic changes (Mutation Biology), and RNA.
Richard G. H. Cotton Memorial Fund
The Richard G.H. Cotton Memorial Fund was created to support the ongoing work of the Human Variome Project. It honors Richard Cotton as the project's founding patron. More details can be found at humanvariomeproject.org.
Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship
The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship was set up by the Old Melburnians Council to honor his memory. This fellowship is given to a young person who shows Richard Cotton's values. These include his commitment, care for others, love for life, and desire to make a real difference. More details can be found at mgs.vic.edu.au.
