Joseph Sambrook
Encyclopedia
Joseph Frank Sambrook (born 1 March 1939 in Liverpool
, England
) is a British molecular biologist known for his studies of DNA
oncovirus
es and the molecular biology
of normal and cancer
ous cells. He currently resides in Melbourne, Australia
with his wife and daughter.
(BSc (hons) 1962) and obtained his PhD
at the Australian National University
in 1966. He did postdoctoral research at the MRC
Laboratory of Molecular Biology (1966-67) and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies
(1967-69). In 1969 he was hired by James D. Watson
to work at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
in New York
. Watson has been reported to say this was the best hiring decision he ever made. Joe was responsible for creating a combative creative environment at CSHL that fomented discovery. Subsequently he worked at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
(Dallas).
, determined their transcriptional control in infected and transformed cells, and elucidated the mechanism of integration of these viruses into the genome of the host cell. He has also made important contributions to the understanding of intracellular traffic and protein folding and is an influential leader in the field of the molecular genetics of human cancer.
Sambrook is Director of Research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne and is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society
. He is the founder and director of the Kathleen Cunningham Consortium for research into familial breast cancer, KConFab, that was established in 1995.
Sambrook has published three editions of the best-selling, highly influential laboratory manual Molecular Cloning. He is also co-editor of Inspiring Science: Jim Watson and the Age of DNA and Life Illuminated: Selected Papers from Cold Spring Harbor Volume 2, 1972–1994. All three books were published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
.
In 2009 he was awarded the "Victorian Government Leadership and Innovation Award".
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British molecular biologist known for his studies of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
oncovirus
Oncovirus
An oncovirus is a virus that can cause cancer. This term originated from studies of acutely-transforming retroviruses in the 1950–60s, often called oncornaviruses to denote their RNA virus origin. It now refers to any virus with a DNA or RNA genome causing cancer and is synonymous with "tumor...
es and the molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
of normal and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
ous cells. He currently resides in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
with his wife and daughter.
Education and early career
Sambrook was educated at the University of LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
(BSc (hons) 1962) and obtained his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in 1966. He did postdoctoral research at the MRC
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
Laboratory of Molecular Biology (1966-67) and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is a premier independent, non-profit, scientific research institute located in La Jolla, California. It was founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine; among the founding consultants were Jacob Bronowski and Francis Crick. Building...
(1967-69). In 1969 he was hired by James D. Watson
James D. Watson
James Dewey Watson is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, best known as one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick...
to work at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private, non-profit institution with research programs focusing on cancer, neurobiology, plant genetics, genomics and bioinformatics. The Laboratory has a broad educational mission, including the recently established Watson School of Biological Sciences. It...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Watson has been reported to say this was the best hiring decision he ever made. Joe was responsible for creating a combative creative environment at CSHL that fomented discovery. Subsequently he worked at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is one of the biomedical research institutions of the University of Texas System, incorporating three degree-granting institutions, four affiliated hospitals, including Parkland Memorial, the teaching hospital, and biomedical research...
(Dallas).
Achievements
Sambrook is best known for his studies on DNA tumor viruses and the molecular biology of normal and neoplastic cells. His Tumour Virus Group at Cold Spring Harbor identified and mapped all of the major genes of adenoviruses and SV40SV40
SV40 is an abbreviation for Simian vacuolating virus 40 or Simian virus 40, a polyomavirus that is found in both monkeys and humans...
, determined their transcriptional control in infected and transformed cells, and elucidated the mechanism of integration of these viruses into the genome of the host cell. He has also made important contributions to the understanding of intracellular traffic and protein folding and is an influential leader in the field of the molecular genetics of human cancer.
Sambrook is Director of Research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne and is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He is the founder and director of the Kathleen Cunningham Consortium for research into familial breast cancer, KConFab, that was established in 1995.
Sambrook has published three editions of the best-selling, highly influential laboratory manual Molecular Cloning. He is also co-editor of Inspiring Science: Jim Watson and the Age of DNA and Life Illuminated: Selected Papers from Cold Spring Harbor Volume 2, 1972–1994. All three books were published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press was founded in 1933 to aid in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's purpose of furthering the advance and spread of scientific knowledge....
.
In 2009 he was awarded the "Victorian Government Leadership and Innovation Award".