Professor Shine is well known for his role in discovering the Shine-Dalgarno gene sequence, which is responsible for the initiation and termination of protein-synthesis. He was a central figure in the cloning of the insulin and growth hormone genes; was the first to clone a human gene and was the first to demonstrate that hormone genes cloned in bacteria could be expressed in a biologically active form.
He was Executive Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research from 1990 until 2011 and Chairman of the biopharmaceutical company CSL from 2011-2018. He is also an ex-Chairman of the National Health and Medical Research Council and past President of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science (Powerhouse Museum and Sydney Observatory). He is a Companion in the Order of Australia and until 2011 was a Member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.
In 2010 he received Australia’s highest award for science – the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. Professor Shine is currently President of the Australian Academy of Science.
Professional positions
Emeritus Professor, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Interest and expertise
Subject groups
Anatomy, physiology and neurosciences
Cellular neuroscience, Endocrinology and reproduction (non-clinical)