Mark Graham

Dr Mark Graham BSc (Hons) PhD — is Group Leader of Synapse Proteomics in the Cell Signalling Unit and a conjoint senior lecturer at the University of Sydney. He obtained his Bachelor of Science and PhD degree at The University of Newcastle.

During his PhD, he was an early user of proteomics technology for the analysis of proteins/enzymes. Proteomics allows proteins to be well-defined at the molecular level. This approach enabled the discovery of how a particular enzyme interpreted phosphorylation-based signalling mechanisms from different environmental queues, to alter enzyme activity. This mechanism was shown for an enzyme that makes precursor molecules to the neurotransmitter, dopamine.

Since joining CMRI in 2002, Dr Graham has continued to study neurotransmission and use proteomics technology, but has also collaborated in cancer research. He has focused on endocytosis, a process that is used in all cells to internalize molecules into vesicles. In the brain, vesicles are particularly important because neurotransmitter filled vesicles are required for ongoing neurotransmission. Dr Graham’s group is revealing the molecular mechanisms of how proteins cooperate to achieve endocytosis and how they are regulated by phosphorylation signalling.

Current Research

Publications