A/Prof. Donald Martin

Don Martin
A/Prof Martin has formal training in optometry, biomedical engineering and electrophysiology (postdoctoral). His postdoctoral training was at Sydney University as the inaugural Medical Foundation PostDoctoral Fellow (1988-91) studying ion channels in non-excitable cells (exocrine glands), and at St Vincent's Hospital (Senior Research Officer, 1991-96) studying excitable cells (cardiac muscle, smooth muscle) and macrophages. Recent publications have focussed on the relation between ion channels and the cytoskeleton. These studies in macrophages led to work, published in The Lancet, implicating ion channels in plaque rupture in the vasculature by describing a new explanation for the action of macrolide antibiotics in heart disease. This work has extended to study of ion channels on the cell nucleus, with a publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry detailing the first isolation and characterisation of a chloride channel protein from the cell nucleus. He is now investigating the function of induced ion channel expression in both genetically-engineered cell systems, recently described in the FASEB Journal, and in cell-free systems for application in the field of nanobiotechnology.

He has also published work in optometry and biomedical polymers. For example, in 1982 he was the first Australian recipient of the Bausch & Lomb International Travel Award (5 awarded world-wide). Also, his published work in visual ergonomics at that time was incorporated into legislation within New York state (U.S.A.) as an example of best practice. He has been employed as a consultant by Bausch & Lomb (Rochester, NY, U.S.A.) to provide biomedical engineering expertise to the R&D section responsible for the development of new types of hydrogel contact lenses, and developed two electronic devices for the R&D program, one of which was the commercialisation of his Ph.D. research.

Selected Publications

Liu GJ, Simpson AM, Swan AM, Tuch BE, Martin DK (2003). ATP-sensitive potassium channels induced in liver cells after transfection with insulin receptor and GLUT2 transporter regulate glucosestimulated insulin secretion. FASEB Journal. 10.1096/fj.02-0051fje

Martin D, Bursill J, Qui MR, Breit SN, Campbell T (1998). Alternative hypothesis for efficacy of macrolides in acute coronary syndromes. The Lancet 351:1858-1859

Valenzuela SM, Martin DK, Por SB, Robbins JM, Bootcov MR, Schofield PR, Campbell TJ, Breit SN (1997). Molecular cloning and expression of a chloride ion channel of cell nuclei. Journal of Biological Chemistry 272:12575-12582

Martin DK, Boneham GC, Pirie BL, Collin HB, Campbell TJ (1996) Chloride ion channels are associated with adherence of lymphatic endothelial cells. Microvascular Research 52:200-209

Martin DK (1995) Water transport in dehydrating hydrogel contact lenses: implications for corneal desiccation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. 29:857-865

Martin DK, Bootcov M, Campbell TJ, French PW, Breit SN (1995) Human macrophages contain a stretch-sensitive potassium channel that is activated by adherence and cytokines. Journal of Membrane Biology. 147:305-315

Martin DK, Nakaya Y, Wyse KR, Campbell TJ (1994). Effects of disopyramide and flecainide on the kinetics of inward rectifier potassium channels in rabbit heart muscle. British Journal of Pharmacology. 111:873-879

Martin DK (1993). Small conductance chloride channels in acinar cells from the rat mandibular salivary gland are directly controlled by a G-protein. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 192:1266-1273

Martin DK, Fatt I (1986). The presence of a contact lens induces a very small change in the anterior corneal surface temperature. Acta Ophthalmologica(Kbn). 64:512-519

Martin DK, Holden BA (1986). Forces developed beneath hydrogel contact lenses due to squeeze pressure. Physics in Medicine and Biology. 30:635-649

back to top