Brendan Crabb Explained

Honorific Prefix:Professor
Brendan Crabb
Birth Name:Brendan Scott Crabb
Birth Date:13 September 1966
Birth Place:Australia
Fields:Immunology
Workplaces:Burnet Institute
Alma Mater:University of Melbourne
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Brendan Scott Crabb FASM[1] (born 13 September 1966) is an Australian microbiologist, research scientist and director and chief executive officer of the Burnet Institute, based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[2]

Background and early career

Educated in Papua New Guinea and Australia, Crabb received a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Melbourne in the Department of Microbiology. In 1992, he completed his PhD in virology with Michael J. Studdert at the School of Veterinary Science also at the University of Melbourne.[3] His PhD project, which explored proteins of equine herpes, led to a diagnostic test which could distinguish horses infected by the lethal equine herpes virus-1 and the less damaging equine herpes virus-4.[4] He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Alan Cowman before starting his independent laboratory at the University of Melbourne.[3]

Scientific career

Research focus

Crabb's main research focus is on the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention in malaria and the development of a malaria vaccine. More broadly, his interests mirror the mission of the Burnet Institute - to improve the health of poor and vulnerable communities through research, education and public health.

In 2009, Crabb and his research team identified the export protein translocon in malaria. This discovery was published in Nature and solved the mystery of how proteins with an export motif are trafficked out of the infected parasite and into the cytosol of the red blood cell host. This finding has broad impact in biology and also has considerable importance as a major new drug target in malaria.[5]

Together with his principal collaborator Alan Cowman, Crabb is also well known for his development of molecular genetic systems in human malaria, having described the first gene knockout in the causative agent Plasmodium falciparum in a paper published in the journal Cell.[6]

Professor Crabb is a prominent and trusted public communicator on COVID-19. He has led research strategies to support responses in Melbourne and internationally; especially in the areas of diagnostic test and vaccine development, epidemiology and modelling, and through community-based approaches to improve uptake of interventions.

Burnet Institute

Crabb was appointed director and CEO of Burnet Institute in 2008,[7] [8] a position previously held by Ian Gust AO, John Mills AO,[9] Steve Wesselingh, now executive director of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute,[10] Ian McKenzie AM, and Mark Hogarth.

Although a molecular scientist by training, Crabb's interests include addressing technical and non-technical barriers to maternal, newborn and child health in the developing world. In recent years, under the banner of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies,[11] he has established a major research field site in East New Britain in Papua New Guinea, principally to identify the underlying drivers (including malaria) of low birth weight and stunted growth in relatively calorie-rich, yet resource-poor settings.[12] [13]

Under Crabb's leadership, Burnet Institute has continued to focus on improving the health of vulnerable populations through strategic, infrastructure and policy initiatives, especially embedding research as a key pillar of the institute's international development activities. In addition, during Crabb's tenure as director and CEO Burnet has:

Special appointments

As President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) from 2012 to October 2014,[21] [22] Crabb was a leading advocate for high level policy reform and played critical roles in transformative government policy and funding initiatives, including the generation of the $20b Medical Research Future Fund.[23]

He is a Member of the PATH/Malaria Vaccine Initiative and Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC), USA,[24] and was Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Inaugural Malaria World Congress [25] in Melbourne, Australia, in 2018. He holds honorary professorial appointments at Monash University and Melbourne University in Australia.[26] Other special appointments include:

Awards and honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fellowship ASM. www.theasm.org.au. 13 January 2020.
  2. Web site: Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. University of Melbourne. 27 June 2012.
  3. Book: Reflections on a Century of Malaria Biochemistry . Irwin Sherman . 251–252 . 2011 . 9780080921839.
  4. Web site: Leading role for former Veterinary Science PhD student. University of Melbourne. 5 March 2013.
  5. Crabb. Brendan . Tania D. de Koning Ward . Paul R. Gilson . Justin A. Boddey . Melanie Rug . Brian J. Smith . Anthony T. Papenfuss . Paul R. Sanders . Rachel J. Lundie . Alexander G. Maier . Alan F. Cowman . A newly discovered protein export machine in malaria parasites. Nature. 18 June 2009. 459. 7249. 945–949. 19536257. 10.1038/nature08104. 2725363. 2009Natur.459..945D .
  6. Crabb. Brendan. Brian M. Cooke . John C. Reeder . Ross F. Waller . Sonia R. Caruana . Kathleen M. Davern . Mark E. Wickham . Graham V. Brown . Ross L. Coppel . Alan F. Cowman . Targeted Gene Disruption Shows That Knobs Enable Malaria-Infected Red Cells to Cytoadhere under Physiological Shear Stress. Cell. 18 April 1997. 89. 2. 287–296. 9108483. 10.1016/S0092-8674(00)80207-X. 14042200. free.
  7. Web site: Prof Brendan Crabb to head Burnet Institute, Australia. BioSpectrum. 5 March 2013.
  8. Web site: Fannin. Penny. Professor Brendan Crabb appointed Director and CEO of the Burnet Institute. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. 5 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20120329033808/http://www.wehi.edu.au/site/latest_news/professor_brendan_crabb_appointed_director_and_ceo_of_the_burnet_institute. 29 March 2012. dead.
  9. Web site: Prof John Mills. GBS Venture Partners. 5 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130409111153/http://www.gbsventures.com.au/team/professor-john-mills. 9 April 2013. dead.
  10. Web site: Professor Steve Wesselingh. South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. 5 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130330222033/http://www.sahmri.com/about-us/leadership-governance/professor-steve-wesselingh/. 30 March 2013. dead.
  11. Web site: Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB). www.burnet.edu.au. 13 January 2020.
  12. Web site: Professor Brendan Crabb AC. burnet.edu.au. 13 January 2020.
  13. Web site: History. burnet.edu.au. 13 January 2020.
  14. Web site: Burnet Institute, Countries, Papua New Guinea. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  15. Web site: Burnet Institute, Countries, Myanmar. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  16. Web site: Burnet Institute, Programs, Maternal and Child Health. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  17. Web site: Burnet Institute, Programs, Disease Elimination. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  18. Web site: Burnet Institute, Programs, Health Security. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  19. Web site: Burnet Institute, Programs, Behaviours and Health Risks. www.burnet.edu.au. 14 January 2020.
  20. Web site: 360Biolabs. www.360biolabs.com. 14 January 2020.
  21. Web site: AAMRI President. AAMRI. 27 October 2014.
  22. Web site: Professor Doug Hilton to lead peak medical research advocacy body. 30 October 2014. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. https://web.archive.org/web/20141208191426/http://www.wehi.edu.au/site/latest_news/2014/10/30/. 8 December 2014. dead.
  23. Web site: The Australian: Scientists cheer vow to establish 20bn medical research fund. aamri.org.au. 13 January 2020.
  24. Web site: Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council. Malaria Vaccine Initiative. Malaria Vaccine Initiative. 27 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120511011409/http://www.malariavaccine.org/vspac-members.php. 11 May 2012. dead.
  25. Web site: Malaria World Congress/Our Vision. www.malariaworldcongress.org. 15 January 2020.
  26. Web site: Parasitology. Faculty of 1000. Faculty of 1000. 27 June 2012.
  27. Web site: NHMRC Members. www.nhmrc.org. 15 January 2020.
  28. https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/elections/sectional-committee
  29. https://www.telethonkids.org.au/about-us/our-leadership/our-board/
  30. https://www.thebraincancercentre.org.au/who-we-are/
  31. https://ausglobalhealth.org/the-advisory-board/
  32. https://djsir.vic.gov.au/priorities-and-initiatives/mrna
  33. https://www.who.int/groups/malaria-vaccine-advisory-committee/about
  34. https://gtac.edu.au/about/gtac-advisory-board/
  35. Web site: Scientific Advisory Board. Centre for Cancer Biology. 13 January 2020.
  36. Web site: Malaria. The Malaria Gordon Research Conference. Gordon Research Conferences. 27 June 2012.
  37. Web site: AMREP Council.
  38. Web site: Brendan Crabb. F1000Prime. 5 March 2013.
  39. Web site: HHMI Alumni International Scholars. Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 5 March 2013.
  40. Web site: 2021-05-25. Twenty-two Australians recognised among our nation's most distinguished scientists Australian Academy of Science. live. 2021-09-23. www.science.org.au. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210524140427/https://www.science.org.au/news-and-events/news-and-media-releases/twenty-two-australians-recognised-among-nations-distinguished-scientists . 24 May 2021 .
  41. Web site: GSK Award for Research Excellence. GSK. 13 January 2020.
  42. Web site: True Leaders 2016. Australian Financial Review. 14 January 2020.
  43. Web site: Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia in the General Division. 2. Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia. 26 January 2015. 26 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211940/http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2015/Media%20Notes%20-%20AC.pdf. 3 March 2016. dead.
  44. Web site: AAHMS Fellowship Professor Brendan Crabb. Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. 14 January 2020.
  45. Web site: ARC/NHMRC Research Network for Parasitology. ARC/NHMRC Research Network for Parasitology. 28 August 2009.
  46. Web site: The Melbourne Achiever Awards. Committee for Melbourne. 5 March 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120530173614/http://www.melbourne.org.au/cms-programs/melbourne-achiever-awards. 30 May 2012.
  47. Web site: Past VIC Tall Poppy Winners. Australian Institute of Policy and Science. 5 March 2013.

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