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Frank Sargent (scientist)

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Professor of Microbial Biotechnology

Frank SargentFRSE
Born(1970-07-04)4 July 1970
Kirkcaldy, Scotland
EducationUniversity of Edinburgh (BSc), University of Dundee (PhD)
Spouse Tracy Palmer ​(m. 2000)​
AwardsRoyal Society University Research Fellowship (2000)
Scientific career
Fields
InstitutionsNewcastle University
University of Dundee
University of East Anglia
John Innes Centre
Thesis Biosynthesis and processing of the nickel-containing hydrogenases of E. coli.  (1996)
Doctoral advisorDavid H. Boxer

Frank Sargent is Professor of Microbial Biotechnology at Newcastle University, UK. He has specialised in bacterial bioenergetics, particularly protein transport and enzymes containing nickel and molybdenum, including biotechnology applications.

Personal life

Sargent spent his childhood at Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland. The surname 'Sargent' is an anglicized version of the Italian Sargenti/Sorgenti/Sorgente, which was modified during the second world war in an attempt to avoid internment. The Sargenti family originate from Francesco Sorgente and Concetta Riccitiello Sorgenti who settled in Trenton, New Jersey in the early 20th century.

Education

Sargent studied at University of Edinburgh, obtaining a B. Sc. degree specialising in biochemistry in 1992. He gained a PhD at University of Dundee in 1996.

Career

He was at the John Innes Centre and then University of East Anglia from 1996 - 2007, latterly as a Royal Society University Research Fellow. In 2007 he was given a Personal Chair in Bacterial Physiology at University of Dundee and in 2018 he moved to Newcastle University as Professor of Microbial Biotechnology. In 2019 he was appointed as Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE), and in 2022 he was appointed Deputy Dean of the University's Biosciences Institute in the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS). In September 2024 Sargent was appointed Dean of the Biosciences Institute at Newcastle University.

Sargent is currently Honorary Treasurer of The Biochemical Society and Deputy Chair of BBSRC Committee E (Fellowships).

Sargent became interested in bacterial bioenergetics as an undergraduate student and this developed into investigating how proteins were targeted in bacteria. While at University of East Anglia he led a team that mainly studied the biochemistry of bacterial Tat proofreading chaperones. These are small proteins that recognise and bind tightly to twin-arginine signal peptides. He returned to work on bacterial bioenergetics, specifically nickel-dependent hydrogenases and molybdenum-containing enzymes, when he returned to University of Dundee. This type of enzyme is involved in handling carbon dioxide in bacteria to convert it into formic acid that can be used in industry or for carbon transport and storage.

Awards and honours

In 2006 he was awarded the Microbiology Society Fleming Prize Lecture for his work on the biosynthesis of complex enzymes.

In 2007 he was awarded the Colworth Medal by the Biochemical Society.

In 2009 he was awarded a Young Scientist Prize by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

In 2011 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for his contributions to bacterial membrane biology and energy metabolism.

References

  1. ^ "Professor Frank Sargent Associate Dean (Research & Innovation)". School of Natural and Environmental Sciences. Newcastle University. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. Ugolini, Wendy (4 September 2007). "Memory, War and the Italians in Edinburgh: The Role of Communal Myth". National Identities. 8 (4). Taylor Francis Online: 421–436. doi:10.1080/14608940601053600. S2CID 145543622. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  3. "Obituary: Albert Sargenti". The Times, Trenton. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. https://www.biochemistry.org/about-us/governance/finance-committee/
  5. https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/bbsrc/board-and-panel-membership/research-committees/research-committee-e/
  6. "E. coli bug could help with carbon capture, say scientists". BBC News. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  7. "Fleming Prize Lecture". Microbiology Society. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  8. "Professor Frank Sargent FRSE". Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
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