Robin Allshire

Robin 0373 BW2

Robin Allshire is a prominent geneticist and molecular biologist known for his significant contributions to the field of chromosome biology. He is particularly recognized for his research on heterochromatin, centromeres, and epigenetics.

Early Life and Education

Robin Allshire was born in Ireland. He pursued his undergraduate studies in genetics at Trinity College Dublin. He later completed his Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh, where he focused on the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation.

Career and Research

Allshire began his postdoctoral research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, where he worked on the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. His research has been instrumental in understanding the role of heterochromatin in gene silencing and chromosome stability.

In 1990, Allshire joined the University of Edinburgh as a faculty member. He has since held various academic positions and is currently a Professor of Chromosome Biology at the Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology.

Key Contributions

Allshire's research has led to several groundbreaking discoveries:

• **Heterochromatin and Gene Silencing**: He demonstrated how heterochromatin can spread along chromosomes and silence genes, a process crucial for maintaining genome stability.
• **Centromere Function**: His work on centromeres has provided insights into how these structures are epigenetically defined and maintained.
• **Epigenetic Inheritance**: Allshire has explored how epigenetic marks are inherited through cell divisions, contributing to our understanding of epigenetics.

Awards and Honors

Robin Allshire has received numerous awards for his contributions to science, including:

• The EMBO Gold Medal
• Election to the Royal Society
• The Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award

Personal Life

Allshire is married and has two children. He continues to reside in Edinburgh, where he enjoys hiking and photography in his spare time.

Related Pages

• Genetics
• Molecular biology
• Heterochromatin
• Centromere
• Epigenetics
• Schizosaccharomyces pombe
• University of Edinburgh
• Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology