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Biological Sciences
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(023) 8059 4401
Email:
rob.ewing@soton.ac.uk

Dr Rob M Ewing BSc (Hons) Applied Biology, DPhil Molecular Genetics

Associate Professor in Proteomics and Systems Biology, Principal Investigator in molecular interaction networks in cancer and development, Director of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences

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Dr Rob M Ewing is Associate Professor in Proteomics and Systems Biology within Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton.

Career History

2013-present: Associate Professor in Proteomics and Systems Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
2007-2013: Assistant Professor. School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
2003-2007: Team Leader, Bioinformatics. MDS Proteomics, Toronto, Canada.
2001-2003: Senior Bioinformatics Scientist. Incyte Genomics, California, USA.
1999-2001: Postdoctoral Fellow. Carnegie Institute, Stanford University, California, USA.
1997-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow. Information Genetique et Structurale, CNRS, Marseille, France.

Academic Qualifications

1997: DPhil Molecular Genetics, Dept. Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.
1989: BSc (Hons) Applied Biology. University of Bath, UK.

Overview

Proteins are the 'molecular machines' of the cell, and perform many of the essential functions in biological systems. In many cases, however, proteins do not act alone but rather physically interact with other proteins and other types of biomolecules to carry out their functions. These sets of interacting proteins, termed 'protein complexes' are themselves organized into larger networks of proteins that function in a coordinated manner. Understanding which proteins interact with which, and where and when these interactions occur, is therefore essential to understanding protein function. The broad goal of our research is to understand these protein interaction networks, ultimately defining a 'systems-wide' protein interaction map that will both provide insights into the function of individual proteins as well as the organization of proteins within the cell.

Biological Questions

Our work focuses on understanding protein interactions in the context of human disease and development. Specifically, we are interested in protein interaction networks in cancer cells, and understanding how somatic mutations in important oncoproteins perturb protein interactions networks to promote tumourigenesis. Most recently we have focused on uncovering the network of protein-protein interactions that underlie Wnt signalling, a critically important signal transduction pathway during embryogenesis, and in many human cancers. In addition, we have used proteomic and computational techniques to begin to understand how embryonic stem cells maintain pluripotency, the capability to differentiate into many different tissues of the body.

Technologies

We are very much technology-focused, using and seeking to improve techniques for defining protein interaction networks. We use proteomic techniques (proteomics allows us to identify and quantify thousands of proteins at once) and also develop computational and statistical techniques for analysing the large amounts of data that proteomics experiments generate, and to organize those data into biological networks.

Research group

Computational and Systems Biology

Research project(s)

Functional analysis of Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), a potential therapeutic target for PTEN-inactive breast cancer

This project aims to investigate the role of SGLT1 in the pathogenesis of PTEN-inactive breast cancer using cell biology, proteomics and biochemistry analysis.

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Articles

Book Chapter

  • Apfel, J., Parikh, J., Reischmann, P., Ewing, R., Müller, O., Dominguez, I., & Xia, Y. (2015). The Wnt signaling network in cancer. In S. Thiagalingam (Ed.), Systems Biology of Cancer Cambridge, GB: Cambridge University Press.

Conference

BIOL2012 Exploring proteins: structure and function

External memberships/affiliations

International Society for Computational Biology
American Society for Mass Spectrometry
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Dr Rob M Ewing
School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Life Sciences Building 85
University of Southampton
Highfield Campus
Southampton
SO17 1BJ

Room Number: 85/6053


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