NMR/MRI

Nuclear Magnetic Resonace Imaging

Dr Allan Torres

Research Instrumentalist, School of Science & Health.

Qualifications

BSc Chemistry (UPhil), PhD Physical Chemistry (Alberta).

Short Biography

  • 2006 to current - NMR Manager, Research Instrumentalist, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Facility, School of Science & Health at the University of Western Sydney.
  • 1995 – 2006 - Senior Research Associate, School of Molecular & Microbial Biosciences at the University of Sydney.
  • 1992 – 1995 - Research Scientist, NMR Laboratory, Biomolecular Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria.
  • Dr Torres is involved in training & directs NMR users.
  • Dr Torres lectures undergraduates in Nanotechnology and NMR Spectroscopy.
  • Dr Torres Co-supervises several Honours and Postgraduate students.

Collaborations (internal): Prof William S. Price (SSH), Prof Janice Aldrich-Wright (SSH).

Collaborations (external): Prof Philip Kuchel (SU), Prof Jamie Vandenberg (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute), Dr Paramjit Bansal (ANSTO).

Research Interests:

“Development of NMR methods, protein structure determination and platypus venom characterisation”.

Dr Allan Torres is involved in a wide range of research projects, from theoretical and applied NMR studies to platypus venom research. He has considerable experience in devising and utilizing various NMR methods for the study of bioactive molecules, molecular interactions and cells. He is currently developing new NMR methods focused on improving the efficiency of NMR diffusion experiments.

Dr Torres has been involved in determining three-dimensional structures of many biologically important protein molecules such as human insulin growth factor II (hIGF-II), platypus venom peptides (DLP-1, DLP-2, DLP-4 and OvCNPa), snake (bucandin and nawaprin) and scorpion peptides (Cnerg1), and polypeptide fragments of HERG and TASKS potassium channels. He together with Prof Philip Kuchel discovered novel D-amino acid containing peptides and the enzyme (L-to-D peptide isomerase) responsible for their creation in the platypus venom.

A Torres Publications (PDF, 24Kb)