Interview with Journal of Cell Science Editor Rob Parton

Rob Parton is a Group Leader and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Deputy Director of the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He completed his doctorate at the University of Leicester in the UK. After using electron microscopy (EM) during his PhD to study trafficking of tetanus toxin in neurons, he was inspired to continue using advanced microscopy approaches to further our understanding of the fundamental cellular process of membrane trafficking. After several years fostering international collaborations as a postdoctoral fellow and junior Group Leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, his lab moved to the University of Queensland in 1996. In 2023, he was elected an Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Rob joined Journal of Cell Science as an Editor in March 2024 and brings to the journal his expertise in multiscale analysis of membrane function, membrane microdomains, lipid droplets and advanced microscopy techniques in cell biology. We spoke to Rob over Zoom to hear more about his career journey, the evolution of the membrane trafficking field and his advice for running a highly collaborative lab.