Professor Emeritus Thomas John Martin | |
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| Born | Thomas John "Jack" Martin January 24, 1937 |
| Education | University of Melbourne[2][4] Degrees: |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Known for | Discovery of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions |
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Thomas John "Jack" Martin FRACP[3] FRCPA[3] is an Australian pathologist, emeritus professor of medicine, physician and academic at University of Melbourne,[2][4] and researcher who, in 1987, by leading a former team of researchers at the same university, discovered a proteinaceous hormone called parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP).[5][6] In September 2005, further research was conducted by the team of Dengshun Miao[7] and David Goltzman at the Calcium Research Laboratory and Department of Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre, and others.[7]
Martin is a member of Natalie A. Sims's laboratory[8] at Saint Vincent's Institute of Medical Research.[9] He works in the institute's Division of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and his primary interest is cell biology of bones.[1]
Early life
Education
Career
Martin was the director of St Vincent’s Institute from 1988 to 2002.[10]
In September 2005, Martin found that PTHrP produced by osteoblasts is a physiological regulator of bone formation.[11]
In July 2022, Martin and his current team at Natalie Sims's lab, after much research on mice, found that deletion of the gene that codes for a receptor protein called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSF) increases physiological dysfunction of cortical bones of mice having hyperactivated STAT3 protein in their bone cells.[12] Cortical bone maturation depends on SOCS3-mediated suppression of IL-6 cytokine-induced STAT3 phosphorylation in osteocytes, the cellular network embedded in bone matrix. They concluded that G-CSF has a major role in replacing condensed trabecular bone with lamellar bone during cortical bone formation.[12]
Personal life
Awards and honours
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)[2] |
| 1971 | Selwyn Smith Prize for medical research[2] |
| 1974 | Eric Susman Prize received from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians[2] |
| 1990 | Lemberg Medal received from the Australian Biochemical Society[2] |
| 1992 |
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In August 2022, an award "TJ Martin Medal" was named in Martin's honour.[10] The medal was awarded to gastroenterologist Chamara Basnayake at St Vincent’s Hospital for his research into the multidisciplinary treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders.[10]