Dr. Rob Brown holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) and a PhD from the University of Ottawa. An assistant professor with the Department of Biochemistry, Dr. Brown joined Memorial University in September 2010 and is therefore our 'newest' faculty member.

Prior to moving to Newfoundland, Dr. Brown was a fellow of the Center for Cardiovascular Research and in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Saint Louis University and, before that, a fellow of the  Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Born in Wales, Dr. Brown emigrated to Calgary with his parents as a child, later moving to Ottawa for much of his education. His research area involves cardiovascular disease – specifically lipids, lipoproteins and metabolism.

“I study the balance between the good HDL cholesterol and the bad LDL cholesterol and the enzymes that influence those in the circulation,” he explained. “These enzymes are involved in regulating the levels of HDL and LDL in the circulation. When lipids are released by these enzymes from the breakdown of cholesterol or triglycerides, some appear to act as signaling molecules.

“My interest is in identifying new pathways affected by the lipids that are present in the circulation and how those pathways potentially influence cardiovascular disease.”

When he is not working in lab, Dr. Brown spends time exploring the walking trails of St. John's and he is an avid hockey fan.

 

(This article has been adapted with changes from one written by Kelly Foss for the Faculty of Science website, and from an earlier version that appeared on this webpage.)