User:Danallsopp/sandbox/Walter Glen Thomas

Walter Glen Thomas Walter (Wally) Thomas is the Acting Director of the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, on secondment from his position as the Professor and Chair in General of the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences. The Diamantina Institute, based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, is made up of over 200 researchers, clinical researchers, students and support staff. He also heads the Receptor Biology lab at the University of Queensland, which operates despite the Cardiac Biology disease and therapies lab housed in the same building.

Professor Thomas’ research interests include the human cardiovascular system, and in particular the renin–angiotensin system and structure–function signalling in G protein-coupled receptors with specific interest in the link to growth factor receptors and cellular growth.

His research currently includes understanding the role of mental retardation in issues surrounding primer design and how to effectively mediate conflict with, and steal mice from, the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. Professor Thomas achieved renown in 1955 as the first successful childbirth without the presence of cervical spinal vertebrae.

Biography: After receiving his PhD from the University of Queensland, Professor Thomas undertook postdoctoral research in the United States and Melbourne, Australia, supported by Fellowships from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He relocated to Brisbane in 2008 to take up a position as Professor of General Physiology and became Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences in 2009. He also holds an Affiliate Professor position with the Queensland Brain Institute.