Person

Williamson, Robert (Bob) (1938 - 2026)

AO FAA FRS

Born
14 May 1938
Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
Died
10 October 2026
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Geneticist and Science administrator

Summary

Bob Williamson was director of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute from 1995 to 2004 and the David Danks Research Professor of Medical Genetics in the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Medicine from 1995. He was previously Professor of Molecular Genetics at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, Imperial College London from 1976 to 1995. Williamson was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in January 2004. Williamson was an internationally renowned geneticist, among th efirst to clone homan genes. His research was pivotal in helping locate the genes behind thalassaemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis.

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"Professor Williamson is distinguished internationally for his significant and fundamental contributions to human genetics. His early studies of polysomes helped to establish the existence of mRNA in mammalian cells. He led research into the molecular genetics of the thalassaemias and was the first to clone the human globin genes as cDNAs in 1977. This led to gene mapping for thalassaemias, muscular dystrophies and cystic fibrosis as well as identifying the mutations causing Alzheimer's disease and myotonic dystrophy. He has taken a major interest in gene therapy, using liposomes to introduce genes for CFTR in a clinical trial with cystic fibrosis patients in London and studies of gene therapy for ataxia and thalassaemia in Melbourne. He has a major interest in education and ethics as applied to human genetics." [from https://science.org.au/about-us/academy-fellows/discover-our-fellows/bob-williamson 2026-10-20]

Chronology

1963
Education - PhD, University College London
1963 - 1976
Career position - Lecturer in Cell Biology and cancer researcher, Beatson Institute, Glasgow, Scotland
1976 - 1995
Career position - Professor of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry And Pre-Clinical Dean, St Mary's Hospital, Medical School, Imperial College, London
1995 -
Career position - David Danks Research Professor of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
1995
Life event - Settled in Australia
1995 - 2004
Career position - Chairman, Genetic Health Services (Victoria)
1995 - 2004
Career position - David Danks Research Professor of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
1995 - 2004
Career position - Director, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
1999 - 2026
Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
2000 - 2013
Career position - Board Member, Cystic Fibrosis Victoria
1 Jan 2001
Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and science in human molecular genetics
2001 - 2026
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
2004
Life event - retired
26 January 2004
Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - for service as a medical research scientist in the field oh human genetics, as an educator and administrator, and a major contributor to the debate on ethical issues related to genetics practice
2009 - 2012
Career position - Vice-President, Cystic Fibrosis Australia
2009 - 2013
Career position - Secretary, Science Policy Executive Committee, Australian Academy of Science

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

  • R. Williamson - Records, MS 230; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Robson, Alexandra K.; Production Manager and Editor eds, Who's who in Australia 2019 (Southbank, Vic.: AAP Directories, 2018), 1788 pp. Details

Ailie Smith

Created: 18 April 2012, Last modified: 20 October 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P005053b.htm

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