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Professor Brian J. Morris

Professor of Molecular Medical Science
Physiology, School of Medical Sciences
Bosch Institute

F13 - Anderson Stuart Building
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

T: +61 2 9351 3688
F: +61 2 9351 2227
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W: Related website

Biographical details

Brian Morris was appointed to the academic staff of the Department (now Discipline) of Physiology in 1978 after 3 years of postdoctoral studies in the USA as a CJ Martin Fellow, then an Advanced Fellow of the American Heart Association, firstly at the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1975-1976, then at the University of California, San Francisco, from 1976-1978. He has been a Professor since 1999. His research has been mostly in the realm of molecular biology and molecular genetics, with a particular interest in hypertension. [More...]

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Research interests

The research of Brian Morris' Lab is primarily directed at the molecular genetics of hypertension, with a particular focus on genome-wide alterations in gene and microRNA expression in human essential hypertension and rodent models of this condition.

The Lab has also been involved in research with Eugenie Lumbers and colleagues at University of Newcastle on the expression of the various components of the (pro)renin-angiotensin system and other genes in fetal and maternal tissues to determine whether these have a role in premature labour.

Prof Morris has personal interests are the molecular basis of ageing, especially the effect of dietary and other factors on health and lifespan, and has published in this field.

The Lab has worked in recent years on the molecular biology of factors involved in alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs, a process that results in the generation of multiple proteins from most of the genes in the genome.

Brian was the first in the world to patent the use of PCR for cervical screening. This method was devised to detect the cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus (priority date Feb 1987). This interest led to his involvement in promoting the health and medical benefits of male circumcision (www.circinfo.net), a field in which he has developed a strong international reputation, with numerous publications.

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