澳门六合彩开奖记录

澳门六合彩开奖记录 cookie policy

We use cookies on reading.ac.uk to improve your experience, monitor site performance and tailor content to you

Read our cookie policy to find out how to manage your cookie settings

Dr Duncan McMillan

Associate Professor Duncan McMillan portrait

Admissions Tutor for Biomedical Engineering

Module co-convenor of Bl0BF1, Foundation Biology

 
 
 
 
 
 

Areas of interest

Regulation and adaptation in cell metabolism (Mitochondrial and bacterial systems), Proton/electron transport, Lipid-membrane protein interactions, Biomimetic membrane, and bioelectrochemical technologies, Biomineralization, Enzymology.

The overarching theme of Duncan's research explores microbial and mitochondrial metabolism using a broad variety of tools such as classical microbiology/cell culture, ‘omics, enzymology, and biomimetic membrane technologies. Duncan and his group investigate the adaptations of life to selective environmental pressures with particular focus on the dynamics between membrane proteins and lipids (e.g. receptor/transporter function), and the role of respiratory enzymes (e.g. dehydrogenases, oxidases, and ATP synthases) in health and disease. Given his expertise in surface science, membrane biology, and enzyme engineering, Duncan also develops new technologies in the fields of membrane protein research, drug delivery, and biomineralization.

Teaching

Duncan is involved in teaching at Undergraduate level and Postgraduate levels with a focus on Metabolism, the Cell membrane, and Biotechnology. 

He teaches on:

  • BlMMT1; Introduction to Medical Technologies (MSc: Masters in Biotechnology)
  • Bl3lB2; Integrated Biochemistry (Part 3)
  • Bl3ABT1; Advanced biological techniques (Part 3)
  • Bl2AB1; Applied Biochemistry: from Disease to Diagnostics (Part 2)
  • BI2BR5; The Bacterial Cell (Part 2)
  • Bl1FB2; Fundamentals of Biochemistry (Part 2)
  • Bl0BF1, Foundation Biology (Part 0) 
Duncan also supervises undergraduate, MSc and PhD research projects.

Project areas include:

  • Adaptations of E. coli and Staphylococcus to environmental change
  • Changes in lipid composition during disease and the effects on mitochondrial metabolism
  • Alkaliphile bioenergetics and adaptation to extreme environments
  • Effects of lipid environment on protein function
  • Regulation of electron transport and signal transduction in membrane proteins
  • External electron transport
  • Mechanics and regulation of ATP synthases

Directly applied projects:

  • Development of new membrane technologies
  • Development of electrochemical biosensor technologies
  • Plant derived anti-bacterial compounds and anti-opioid addiction therapies targeting membrane proteins with Dr S. Tetteh (Univ. Cape coast, Ghana)
 

Awards and honours

  • Rutherford Discovery Fellow 2016 (NZ)
  • Japanese Society for the Promotion of Sciences fellow 2014 (JP)
  • Session Chair Gordon Research Conference for Bioenergetics 2019.
  • Invited Presenter/Exhibitor at the G20/B20 summit Trihita Karana Forum (15-18th November 2022, Bali, Indonesia)
  • External Expert Program Grant Reviewer for: The National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (Conacyt)
  • External Expert Grant Reviewer for: The Natural Sciences and Engineering, Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
  • External Evaluator for Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
 
 

Professional bodies/affiliations

  • British Biochemical Society
  • New Zealand Microbiological Society
  • Japanese Biophysical Society
  • Associate Editor Bioenergetics Communications
 
 

Impact, Enterprise and Outreach

2024 - Invited Exhibitor at the Vitra Design Museum, Germany. ‘Designing the Energy of the future’ Exhibition and featured in the associated book: ‘Sun Catcher’ – with the Artist T. van Dongen -

2023 - Invited Presenter/Exhibitor at the Highlight Delft Festival ‘Sun Catcher’ – with the Artist T. van Dongen.

2022 - Interviewed by Delta Magazine (NL): ‘We need a solar cell that is both cheap and accessible’.

2021 - Press coverage about Duncan's recommendation for Managed Isolation Procedures in New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic. January 21-31 2021.

2020 -  Press coverage: Van Amelrooij et al 2020. in Advance Sustainable Systems. March 10- April 23, 2020

2019 - Press Coverage about Urbani et al 2019. Published in Nature Communications. Asahi Shimbun (Japan): Major National newspaper (October 07, 2019). - ‘What are the mitochondrial “holes” that lead to aging and disease?’ -

Interviewed by the New Zealand Microbiological Society - featured as a ‘Flying Kiwi’ in The New Zealand Microbiological Society newsletter of November 2019

2018 - Press Coverage: Hards et al 2018. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA.

New Zealand Herald (NZ): National level Newspaper article on July 08, 2018

2015 - Interviewed by Nature publishing group. Nature Jobs Asia-Pacific Careers Guide: Japan. Nature. 524, S16-S18. doi:10.1038/524S16a

 
 

Publications

Loading your publications ...