An EconoTimes perspective

Merlin Crossley

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Professor of Molecular Biology, UNSW Australia I have been doing molecular biology since 1985 and been in academic administration since 2004. I continue to run a large laboratory and to teach at UNSW. My laboratory http://www.crossleylab.unsw.edu.au/ works on DNA-binding proteins that facilitate epigenetic changes to turn genes on and off. We are interested in developing ways to artificially regulate the expression of particular genes. Such technologies may be useful in treating genetic diseases of the blood, like sickle cell anemia, and of metabolism, such as diabetes and obesity. I enjoy teaching and give lectures in the area of molecular biology, genomics, epigenetics, stem cells, genetic reprogramming and genome editing. I have written extensively on modern molecular genetics and on science teaching and policy.