David Andrew Phoenix

David Andrew Phoenix OBE DSc was born in 1966 in Greater Manchester, England. After attending school in Bolton he progressed to study Biochemistry at Liverpool University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science. He remained at Liverpool to complete his Doctorate on penicillin binding proteins and after postdoctoral work in England and the Netherlands he began work at the University of Central Lancashire where he is now Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for areas of strategic planning and performance across the University group.

Academic background

David Phoenix read Biochemistry and obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Liverpool. This was followed by completion of a Doctorate, again in Biochemistry. He continued to study part time and went on to obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Open University which focused on mathematics. Further study generated a Masters in Education and later a Masters in Business Administration. His contribution to the field of biochemistry was rewarded by the presentation of the degree of Doctor of Science from Liverpool University. This higher doctorate recognised his work into the importance of amphiphilicity in the localisation and function of bioactive molecules.

He has published widely on the structure-function relationship of amphiphilic biomolecules,^[1] obtaining a Chair in Biochemistry in 2000. In addition to peer reviewed papers, edited collections and research monographs^[2] he has also been recognised for publication of undergraduate textbooks.^[3] He continues to sit on editorial boards and editorial advisory boards for approximately ten international scientific journals including for example, Protein Peptide Letters,^[4] Current Protein and Peptide Science,^[5] Molecular Membrane Biology ^[6] and the International Journal for Nano and Biomaterials.^[7]

He has also been Editor in Chief of The Journal of Biological Education and of periodicals such as Biologist which are aimed at a broader readership.

Professional recognition

He was granted Chartered Chemist status by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK and later made a Fellow of the Society (FRSC). In addition he was recognised as a Chartered Biologist and became a Fellow of the Institute of Biology, (FIBiol). He also became recognised as a Chartered Mathematician and later advanced to Fellowship of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. In 2007 he was recognised as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. In 2008 his work in support of teaching was recognised by the award of a Senior Fellowship^[8] by the Higher Education Academy.

Career history

His PhD work engaged his interest in the role amphipilicity plays in driving the interaction of bioactive molecules with cell membranes. He was awarded a Long Term Fellowship by the European Molecular Biology Organisation which enabled him to investigate the importance of amphiphilicty in protein translocation at Utrecht University Centre for Biomembranes and Lipid Enzymology. He continued to work on amphiphilic helices,^[9] being one of the first to help characterise their role as membrane protein anchors. He later expanded this work to investigate the importance of structure-function relationships in the design of antimicrobial peptides.^[10] He was made a Reader in Biochemistry in 1998 and in 2000 was awarded a Chair in Biochemistry at the University of Central Lancashire. From 1996-1999 he was a Visiting Professor in Bioinformatics at Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI) where he began developing his interest in algorithms for identification of low homology repeat sequences.

In 1993, as a founder member of the Lancashire Centre for Medical Studies, his work with local NHS Trusts was recognised by the award of a Visiting Consultants title by the Health Authority. He also continued to act as a consultant to pharmaceutical companies such as SmithKline Beecham.

In 2000 he launched a new Department of Forensic and Investigative Science at the University of Central Lancashire and became its inaugural head. For his work in this area, and support given, he was made a Distinguished Visiting Professor by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in 2004. He was successful in obtaining funds from the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) in the UK to set up a National Knowledge Exchange focused on crime reduction in partnership with other Universities and business. He also provided the Regional Crime Lead for the Northwest on a HEFCE funded regeneration bid and advised the Sector Skills Council for Science Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology (SEMTA) on issues related to developing degrees in Forensic Science.

During 2002 he became Dean of Science and launched a new School of Pharmacy. At this time he began developing links overseas with the aim of expanding higher education opportunity, especially in India. He was invited to become a member of the D Y Patil Academic Council supporting a range of educational institutes in India such as the D. Y. Patil college of Engineering and Technology, Kolhapur. During this time he also remained the UK representative on the European Committee of Biological Associations (ECBA) and for a while was a Commissioner for Biotechnology.

In 2008 he became Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for strategic planning and performance across the University of Central Lancashire group.

Phoenix was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.^[11]

Public service

He was appointed to an advisory committee for the appointment of Justice of the Peace by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a service which at the time came under the auspices of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. His work has tended to remain focused around the public understanding of science and education more broadly defined. He was appointed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as a Trustee for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.^[12] He recently began work to support the new Darwen Aldridge Community Academy as a Trustee and member of the Board. In 2009 he was appointed as an Ambassador to the Government Equalities Office to support work focused on increasing diversity in public life.

References

1. ^ Structure Function relationships of Amphiphilic alpha Helical Peptides (eds Phoenix and Harris) (2006), Special Edition of Current Protein and Peptide Science, Bentham Publishers ISSN 1389-2037
2. ^ Protein Targeting and Translocation (1998), Princeton University Press pp292, ISBN 0-691-00901-5
3. ^ Introductory Mathematics for Life Scientists (1997), Taylor and Francis, pp230 ISBN 0-7484-0428-7
4. ^ Protein Peptide Letters :: BSP
5. ^ Current Protein and Peptide Science
6. ^ Molecular Membrane Biology
7. ^ IJNBM
8. ^ Higher Education Academy, Senior Fellows
9. ^ Molecular Membrane Biology (2002), vol 19 p1-10 doi: 10.1080/09687680110103631
10. ^ FEBS Journal, (2007), vol 273 pp3792 doi: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2006.05387.x
11. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59446. p. 12. 12 June 2010.
12. ^ DCMS appointments

External links

• University of Central Lancashire website
• D Y Patil website
• Higher Education Academy website

Persondata
Name	Phoenix
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Date of birth	1966
Place of birth
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