1156th General Monthly Meeting
The Life Sciences Revolution: How Engineering, Cell Biology and IT Intersect
Professor Keith Williams
Co-founder of Proteome Systems, Formerly Professor of Biology at Macquarie University
Date: Wednesday, 3rd October, 2007
Time: 6:30 for 7:00 pm
Venue: Conference Room 1, Darlington Centre, City Road
ABSTRACT
In this presentation I'll give my views on how several revolutionary changes are converging on Life Sciences to make for very interesting times and to dramatically change for the better the quality of life as we age. I shall review mechanical fixes, stem cells and e-health, each of which in different ways impacts on our health and well being. Recent developments will be reviewed in the context of Australian science and corporate biotech, indicating that we are part of the game. I shall also mention a new e-health company, miVitals, with which I am involved.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Keith Williams (AM FTSE PhD) was born in Melbourne, and completed a BAgrSci at Melbourne
University, followed by a PhD in Biochemistry at ANU. He worked in biochemistry research in the
UK in Oxford and Germany at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry before returning to Sydney in
1984. Keith headed the Biotech program at Macquarie University and developed the concept of
Proteomics, culminating in 1996 with the establishment of the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility,
the world's first Major National Proteomics facility. He established Proteome Systems Ltd in 1999 to
commercialise Proteomic technologies and build new generation diagnostics and drugs. The business
grew and was listed on the ASX in 2004. In 2005 he stepped back from Proteome Systems to explore
new opportunities in company building in the Life Sciences and IT areas. In 2006 he fulfilled an
interest in making movies, as Executive Producer of the mystery thriller Butterfly Dreaming.