

| Position/s: | NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow and Professor Clinical Pharmacology |
| Phone: | +61 8 82045394 |
| Email: | peter.mackenzie@flinders.edu.au |
| Location: | School of Medicine (6D:310.1) |
| Postal address: | GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia |
Professor Mackenzie was awarded a PhD from the University of Sydney (Biochemistry Department, 1976). He held post doctoral positions at the University of Kuopio, Finland (Physiology Department, 1976-1980), National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA (NICHD, 1980-1987) before returning to Flinders University (Clinical Pharmacology) in 1987 as a NHMRC Research Fellow. He is currently a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow in the Department.
B.SC (hons 1)
PhD
Our defense against the toxic effects of small organic molecules is mediated by families of enzymes found in the internal membranes of cells. Many small organic molecules, such as environmental pollutants, carcinogens and therapeutic drugs, are fat-soluble and will accumulate in the body to toxic levels unless they are modified, usually by the addition of sugar groups. The modified chemical, in the majority of cases, is less toxic and readily removed from the body. We have identified and characterized many of the sugar-transferring enzymes involved in this detoxification process. We are investigating how these enzymes are controlled in the cell and whether there are genetic differences in control processes that may impact on our ability to detoxify drugs and chemicals. This research may provide strategies to help reduce the risk of chemical-induced carcinogenesis and hormone-dependent cancers, such as those of the prostate and breast.
Principal supervisor:
Molecular Pharmacology (3);