Mark Gorrell

Biography

Associate Professor Mark Gorrell heads the Molecular Hepatology Laboratory in the Liver Injury and Cancer Program. He trained in cell biology, virology, immunology and protein biochemistry at Australian National University, University of Melbourne and Johns Hopkins University. His research is focussed upon liver cancer prevention and treatment, chronic liver disease pathogenesis, diabetes, protein and enzyme biochemistry and cell biology related to the proteases DPP4, DPP9 and fibroblast activation protein (FAP). He has authored over 135 publications attracting H index 41, i10 index 88 and > 5,600 citations. His research experience also includes small RNA viruses, transcriptomics, proteomics and cell biology. His research was important in the development of DPP4-targetted therapies for type 2 diabetes, which are now used to treat millions of patients. Inside Centenary Institute,he chairs the postgraduate research and equipment grants committees, is Sub-Dean for postgraduate research and a Commercialisation Committee member. Outside Centenary Institute, he is active in the International Proteolysis Society, the Gastroenterological Society of Australia, NHMRC grant reviews, and editorial boards of Journals including Scientific Reports. Associate Professor Mark Gorrell heads the Molecular Hepatology Laboratory in the Liver Injury and Cancer Program. He trained in cell biology, virology, immunology and protein biochemistry at Australian National University, University of Melbourne and Johns Hopkins University. His research is focussed upon liver cancer prevention and treatment, chronic liver disease pathogenesis, diabetes, protein and enzyme biochemistry and cell biology related to the proteases DPP4, DPP9 and fibroblast activation protein (FAP). He has authored over 135 publications attracting H index 41, i10 index 88 and > 5,600 citations. His research experience also includes small RNA viruses, transcriptomics, proteomics and cell biology. His research was important in the development of DPP4-targetted therapies for type 2 diabetes, which are now used to treat millions of patients. Inside Centenary Institute,he chairs the postgraduate research and equipment grants committees, is Sub-Dean for postgraduate research and a Commercialisation Committee member. Outside Centenary Institute, he is active in the International Proteolysis Society, the Gastroenterological Society of Australia, NHMRC grant reviews, and editorial boards of Journals including Scientific Reports.

Research Interest

Mark D. Gorrell is devoted to understanding the functions of the dipeptidyl peptidase IV [DPP4] gene family enzymes and the molecular basis of chronic liver disease, including cancer, and how to exploit this knowledge to alleviate human illness. DPP4 is the target of a successful new type 2 diabetes therapy that is benefiting millions of patients. With colleagues, he discovered that DPP4 modifies the activities of several chemokines [1997 J Exp Med]. He discovered DPP8, DPP9 and DPP10 (2000 FEBS J; 2004 BBA; 2006 BBA) allowing the development of DPP4 selective inhibitors. His work on DPP4 function in human T cells and on DPP9 provided key insights into the safety of DPP4 inhibitors in clinical use [2011 Scand J Immunol; 2013 PlosOne]. He also discovered novel substrate recognition sites in DPPs used in drug development, ligand binding sites on DPP4 that are binding sites of MERS virus, and constructed the first DPP4 protein structure prediction [1999 FEBS J; 1999 FEBS Lett]. His team showed that DPP4, FAP and DPP9 amplify cell death signals and alter cell adhesion [2006 FEBS J; 2005 Hepatology; 2011 Mol Cancer Res; 2015 BBA-MCR], identified several chemokines cut by DPP8 [2008 FEBS Letters], and identified most of the known substrates of FAP [2011 FEBS J] and DPP9 [2015 FEBS J]. Using novel 2-photon microscopy, showed that harmful collagen is near FAP in cirrhotic liver [2003 J Struct Biol]. He found that the levels of FAP in human blood specifically correspond to the presence of liver fibrosis [2015 Diabetes Research].