Alan O. Trounson
Encyclopedia
Alan Trounson, Ph.D., is a biologist and President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
(CIRM) California’s $3 billion stem cell
agency. He was previously Professor of Stem Cell Sciences and the Director of the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories at Monash University
, and retains the title of Emeritus Professor.
He introduced two world-first procedures which greatly improved the success rate of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). They were the use of a fertility drug to induce multiple ova and the freezing of embryos for future use. These procedures enabled more than 300,000 women worldwide to conceive successfully.
Professor Trounson made headlines in 1980 with the first IVF birth in Australia
and afterwards set up the Monash team of Wood
, Trounson, Leeton, Talbot and Kovacs. In 2000, he again made international headlines when he led the team which discovered that nerve stem cells could be derived from embryonic stem cells. This announcement led to a dramatic increase in interest in the potential of stem cells to cure a range of currently incurable diseases.
He was the Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the National Biotechnology Centre of Excellence – ‘Australian Stem Cell Centre’, as well as Global Scientific Strategy Advisor.
He serves on the Science Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute
and was a founder of the Australian Stem Cell Centre
.
Federal Parliament by attributing the recovery of a crippled rat to embryonic stem cells, when in fact the cells were germ cells from a fetal rat.
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine was created by California's Proposition 71 , which authorized it to issue $3 billion in grants, funded by bonds, over ten years for embryonic stem cell and other biomedical research. It is claimed to be the world's largest single backer of...
(CIRM) California’s $3 billion stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
agency. He was previously Professor of Stem Cell Sciences and the Director of the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, and retains the title of Emeritus Professor.
He introduced two world-first procedures which greatly improved the success rate of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). They were the use of a fertility drug to induce multiple ova and the freezing of embryos for future use. These procedures enabled more than 300,000 women worldwide to conceive successfully.
Professor Trounson made headlines in 1980 with the first IVF birth in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and afterwards set up the Monash team of Wood
Carl Wood
Edwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
, Trounson, Leeton, Talbot and Kovacs. In 2000, he again made international headlines when he led the team which discovered that nerve stem cells could be derived from embryonic stem cells. This announcement led to a dramatic increase in interest in the potential of stem cells to cure a range of currently incurable diseases.
He was the Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the National Biotechnology Centre of Excellence – ‘Australian Stem Cell Centre’, as well as Global Scientific Strategy Advisor.
He serves on the Science Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute
Genetics Policy Institute
The Genetics Policy Institute is a 501 nonprofit organization that educates the public and promotes supportive public policy for stem cell research and other forms of cutting-edge medicine....
and was a founder of the Australian Stem Cell Centre
Australian Stem Cell Centre
The Australian Stem Cell Centre - the National Biotechnology Centre of Excellence - is a research and development centre which focusses on regenerative medicine through the use of stem cells. It was founded in 2003, and has received over $100 million in funding in recent years. It is Australia's...
.
Career Summary
- 1971: graduated from the University of New South WalesUniversity of New South WalesThe University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
with an M.Sc. in Wool and Pastoral Sciences. - 1974: awarded a Ph.D. in animal embryology by Sydney University.
- 1974-1976: awarded the Dalgety Research Fellow at the ARC Institute of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry at Cambridge University.
- 1977: appointed Senior Research Fellow at Monash University.
- 1984: appointed Reader in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
- 1985: appointed Director of the Centre for Early Human Development.
- 1991: awarded a Personal Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology/Paediatrics at Monash University.
- 1991: awarded the Wellcome (Australia) Medal.
- 1994: received the Patrick Steptoe Memorial Medal received from the British Fertility Society.
- 1995: received the Benjamin Henry ShearesBenjamin Henry ShearesBenjamin Henry Sheares, GCB , was the second President of Singapore.-Early life:Sheares was born the second of six children in Singapore to a Eurasian family with an English lineage. His father Edwin H. Sheares, a technical supervisor of the Public Works Department, was born in England and raised...
Medal awarded by the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society, Singapore. - 2003: awarded a Personal Chair as Professor of Stem Cell Sciences, Monash University.
- 2003: awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa by the Faculties of Medical Sciences and Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
- 2003: named Australian Humanist Of The Year.
- 2007: appointed President of the California Institute for Regenerative MedicineCalifornia Institute for Regenerative MedicineThe California Institute for Regenerative Medicine was created by California's Proposition 71 , which authorized it to issue $3 billion in grants, funded by bonds, over ten years for embryonic stem cell and other biomedical research. It is claimed to be the world's largest single backer of...
. - 2008: inducted as an Honorary Member in the Monash University Golden Key Society
Areas of research
- Cloning
- Stem cells
- Biotechnology
- Cloning for agricultural industry
- Gene storage
- IVF
Controversies
It was reported in the Melbourne newspaper "The Age" that Trounson apologised for misleading the AustralianFederal Parliament by attributing the recovery of a crippled rat to embryonic stem cells, when in fact the cells were germ cells from a fetal rat.
Books
- In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer By Alan O. Trounson, Carl WoodCarl WoodEdwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
,Published 1984, ISBN 0443026750 - In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer, by Alan Trounson and Carl WoodCarl WoodEdwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
, 1985, ISBN 0443-0267-50 - Atlas of Fine Structure of Human Sperm Penetration, Eggs, and Embryos Cultured In Vitro, by A. Henry Sathananthan (Author), Alan O. Trounson (Author), Carl WoodCarl WoodEdwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
(Author), November 1985, ISBN 0275-9130-82, ISBN 0030-0011-37 - Clinical in Vitro Fertilization edited by Carl WoodCarl WoodEdwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
, Alan Trounson, 1988, ISBN 3540-1953-43 - Clinical in Vitro Fertilization,by Carl WoodCarl WoodEdwin Carlyle "Carl" Wood, AC, CBE, FRCS, FRANZCOG was a prominent Australian gynaecologist, best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of in-vitro fertilisation...
(Author), Alan Trounson (Editor),1989,ISBN 0387-1953-43 - Implantation in Mammals (Serono Symposia Publications from Raven Press, Vol 91), by L. Gianaroli (Author), A. Campana (Author), Alan O. Trounson (Editor), 1994, ISBN 0881-6790-54
- Handbook of in vitro fertilization, by Alan O. Trounson and David K. Gardner (Editor), 2nd ed 1999, ISBN 0849-3400-20
- Biology and Pathology of the Oocyte: Its Role in Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, by Alan O. Trounson (Editor), Roger G. Gosden (Editor),Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 25, 2003), ISBN 0521-7995-89
- Nuclear Transfer Protocols: Cell Reprogramming and Transgenesis,Medical / Nursing, By Paul J. Verma, Alan O. Trounson, 2006, ISBN 1588-2928-00
Articles
- Stem Cell research must be carefully directed and properly conducted by Alan Trounson - posted Wednesday, 15 May 2002
- Cloning and Stem Cells, contributing Editorial Board:Alan O. Trounson,- Published Quarterly, March 2007, ISSN 1536-2302
External links
- Fleming, Katherine "Titan of the test tube", The Bulletin, ACP Magazines, December 11, 2007.