Experimental Officer
LabA, Centre for Proteome Research
Institute of Integrative Biology
University of Liverpool,
Crown Street
Liverpool L69 7ZB
Tel: +44 151 794 ????
Email: l.mclean[at]liv.ac.uk
About me
Having been told by my father that ‘education was wasted on women’, I left school in 1967, at the age of 16, following ‘O’ level’s, to work as a junior technician with Professor R.A. Gregory at the Department of Physiology, in Liverpool. He had been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954, the year that it was awarded to Linus Carl Pauling; elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965 and awarded a CBE in 1971. This was my first introduction to scientific research and I was so captivated by his dedication and enthusiasm, I discovered that research was what I wanted to do for the rest of my working life.
I went on to work with other groups within Physiology, still involved in research, but with applications to patient care at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. I continued as a research technician, following my marriage and move to Toronto University, Canada, where I was involved in kidney function, measuring renin-angiotensin responses using bioassay techniques in collaboration with Toronto General Hospital. I then returned to England when I started a family and spent the next few years setting up home and rearing the children.
Following my career break, I returned to education in 1978, studying for ‘A’ levels then reading Biochemistry at Liverpool. As an undergraduate, I worked within the pharmaceutical industry using a variety of analytical techniques including GLC, HPLC to analyse the raw material used in the production of drugs. I also worked at the Dept. Endocrine Pathology Alder Hey Children’s Hospital which provided a diagnostic service for the National Health Institutions throughout the north west of England. Primarily, the work involved radioimmunoassay and during my time there I developed the assay for routine measurement of Human Placental Lactogen in serum.
Following my graduation in 1981, I returned to my role as a research technician in the Veterinary School at Liverpool where I worked with Dr R.M. Batt on enzyme function of the gut in Irish setter dogs. In addition to my own research projects, I supervised five other technicians and PhD students and ensured the smooth-running of the research group as a whole. As a result of changes within the school, I took sole responsibility for running an in-house diagnostic service, detecting exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs, liaising directly with veterinary surgeons.
In March 2002, while still working within the Veterinary School, I had the great privilege of joining the Centre for Proteomic Research with Professor Beynon. This was a steep learning curve and my training in proteomic techniques began. Initially, I was involved in many exciting and varied research projects; analysis of subcutaneous gel in chicks; changes in the proteome of chicken and carp skeletal muscle; analysis of urinary cauxin in felines and studies into scent marking in mice. I continue to support our collaborating groups within and outside of the University, preparing concatenated proteins and recombinant proteins, used in behavioural and structural studies and mass spectrometry quantification.
Since the Shared Research Facility in Proteomics opened in May 2011, I have provided technical support and expertise, and still continue to work on exciting projects: investigation of the differences in protein expression in testes, between two species of drosophila; proteomic analysis of the defence mechanism of caterpillars; identification of the animal species of stone-age, archaeological bone using mass spectrometry; proteomic analysis of CSF in patients with meningitis; comparison of protein expression in different strains of Salmonella; protein discovery in Sodalis glossinidius and human cardiomyocytes.
The group expanded in April 2013 when we were joined by Dr Claire Eyers and her colleagues from Manchester. I continue to have a pastoral role within the group and provide training and guidance to new staff and visitors when required.
During my working life in research, I have continued to meet new challenges and worked with exciting and dedicated people, including everyone in CPR. I am very lucky to have had a job that I have enjoyed for the last 47 years. Not many people are able to say that! I still enjoy my work, but, plan to retire in July 2016. I know that I will miss the day to day challenges that research brings. If I don’t become too forgetful in the next couple of years then maybe I can be persuaded to stay a little longer
Publications
Vasilaki, A., Simpson, D.M., McArdle, F., McLean, L., Beynon, R.J., van Remmen, H., Richardson, A.G., McArdle, A., Faulkner, J.A. & Jackson, M.J. (2007) Formation of 3-nitrotyrosines in carbonic anhydrase III is a sensitive marker of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle. Proteomics (Clinical Applications) vol 1 pp 362-372
Batchelor, D., Noble, P-J., Cripps, P., Taylor, R., McLean, L., Leibl, M., German, A. (2007): Breed associations for canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 21 (2):207-214 Mar.-Apr.
Burniston, .J.G., Mclean, L., Beynon, R.J., Goldspink, D.F. (2006): Functional, cellular and molecular changes induced in the rat plantaris muscle by a low, non-myotoxic dose of the beta (2)-antagonist clenbuterol. FASEB Journal 20 (4) A808-A808 Part 1, Mar 6
Vasilaki A., McArdle F., McLean L., Simpson D.M., Beynon R.J., McArdle A., Van der Meulen, J.H., van Remmen H., Richardson A.G., Faulkner J.A. & Jackson M.J. (2005) Identification of oxidised and nitrated proteins in skeletal muscle of mice with deficient antioxidant defences. Free Radical Research, 39:S82-S82 Suppl. 1
Doherty, M.K., McLean, L., Hayter, J.R., Pratt, J.M., Robertson, D.H.L., El-Shafei, A., Gaskell, S.J., Beynon, R.J. (2004): The proteome of chicken skeletal muscle: changes in soluble protein expression during growth in a layer strain. Proteomics, 4 (7) 2082-2093.
McLean, L., Doherty, M.K., Deeming, D.C., Beynon, R.J. (2004): A proteome analysis of the subcutaneous gel in avian hatchlings. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, 3:250-256.
Batt R.M., Horadagoda A., McLean L., Morton D.B and Simpson K.W (1989) Identification and characterisation of pancreatic intrinsic factor in the dog. American Journal of Physiology, 256, no 3, G517-G523
Batt R.M., McLean L. and Riley J.E. (1988) Response of the jejunal mucosa in dogs with aerobic and anaerobic bacterial overgrowth to antibiotic therapy. Gut, 29, 473-482
Williams D.A., Batt R.M. and McLean L. (1987): Bacterial overgrowth in the duodenum of dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 191: 201-206
Batt R.M., McLean L. and Carter M.W. (1987): Sequential morphological and biochemical studies of naturally-occurring wheat-sensitive enteropathy in Irish setter dogs. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 32: 184-194
Batt R.M. and McLean L. (1987): Comparison of the biochemical changes in the jejunal mucosa of dogs with aerobic and anaerobic bacterial overgrowth. Gastroenterology, 93: 986-993
Batt R.M., Hart C.A., McLean L. and Saunders J.R. (1987): Organ culture of rabbit ileum for the investigation of the pathogenesis of damage by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Gut, 28, 1283-1290
Batt R.M., Hart C.A., McLean L. and Saunders J.R. (1987): Application of organ culture to the investigation of lectin-induced damage to the brush border membrane. Gut, 28, A1397
Taylor C.J., Hart C.A., Batt R.M., McDougall C. and McLean L. (1986): Ultrastructural and biochemical changes in human jejunal mucosa associated with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (0111). Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 5, 70-73
Batt R.M., McLean L. and Riley J.E. (1986): Recovery of brush border abnormalities on German Shepherds with bacterial overgrowth following oral antibiotic treatment. In: Proceedings of the IVth Annual Forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Washington, 14.7
Batt R.M., McLean L. and Horadagoda A. (1986): New approaches to the diagnosis of malabsorption in the dog. In: Proceedings of the IVth International Symposium of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Amsterdam, 110-113
Batt R.M., Carter M.W. and McLean L. (1985): Wheat-sensitive enteropathy in Irish setter dogs: possible age-related brush border abnormalities. Research in Veterinary Science, 39, 80-83
Williams D.A., Batt R.M. and McLean L. (1985): Reversible impairment of protein synthesis may contribute to jejunal abnormalities in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Clinical Science, 68, (Suppl. 11) 37
Williams D.A., Batt R.M. and McLean L. (1985): Reversible decreases in both synthesis and degradation of brush border proteins may contribute to jejunal abnormalities in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. In: Proceedings of IIIrd Annual Forum of the American College of Internal Medicine, San Diego, 131
Batt R.M., Carter M.W. and McLean L. (1984): Morphological and biochemical studies of a naturally occurring enteropathy in the Irish setter dog; a comparison with celiac disease in man. Research in Veterinary Science, 37, 339-346
Batt R.M., Carter M.W. and McLean L. (1984): Developmental brush border defect associated with cereal sensitivity in the Irish setter dog. Clinical Science, 66, 38
Batt R.M., McLean L. and Loughran M. (1984): Specific brush border abnormalities associated with wheat-sensitive enteropathy (WSE) in the Irish setter dog. Gastroenterology, 86, 1021
Williams D.W., Batt R.M. and McLean L. (1984): Duodenal bacterial overgrowth may occur in canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, but is not due to achlorhydria. In: Proceedings of the IInd Annual Forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Washington, 34
Having been told by my father that ‘education was wasted on women’, I left school in 1967, at the age of 16, following ‘O’ level’s, to work as a junior technician with Professor R.A. Gregory at the Department of Physiology, in Liverpool. He had been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954, the year that it was awarded to Linus Carl Pauling; elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965 and awarded a CBE in 1971. This was my first introduction to scientific research and I was so captivated by his dedication and enthusiasm, I discovered that research was what I wanted to do for the rest of my working life.
I went on to work with other groups within Physiology, still involved in research, but with applications to patient care at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. I continued as a research technician, following my marriage and move to Toronto University, Canada, where I was involved in kidney function, measuring renin-angiotensin responses using bioassay techniques in collaboration with Toronto General Hospital. I then returned to England when I started a family and spent the next few years setting up home and rearing the children.
Following my career break, I returned to education in 1978, studying for ‘A’ levels then reading Biochemistry at Liverpool. As an undergraduate, I worked within the pharmaceutical industry using a variety of analytical techniques including GLC, HPLC to analyse the raw material used in the production of drugs. I also worked at the Dept. Endocrine Pathology Alder Hey Children’s Hospital which provided a diagnostic service for the National Health Institutions throughout the north west of England. Primarily, the work involved radioimmunoassay and during my time there I developed the assay for routine measurement of Human Placental Lactogen in serum.
Following my graduation in 1981, I returned to my role as a research technician in the Veterinary School at Liverpool where I worked with Dr R.M. Batt on enzyme function of the gut in Irish setter dogs. In addition to my own research projects, I supervised five other technicians and PhD students and ensured the smooth-running of the research group as a whole. As a result of changes within the school, I took sole responsibility for running an in-house diagnostic service, detecting exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs, liaising directly with veterinary surgeons.
In March 2002, while still working within the Veterinary School, I had the great privilege of joining the Centre for Proteomic Research with Professor Beynon. This was a steep learning curve and my training in proteomic techniques began. Initially, I was involved in many exciting and varied research projects; analysis of subcutaneous gel in chicks; changes in the proteome of chicken and carp skeletal muscle; analysis of urinary cauxin in felines and studies into scent marking in mice. I continue to support our collaborating groups within and outside of the University, preparing concatenated proteins and recombinant proteins, used in behavioural and structural studies and mass spectrometry quantification.
Since the Shared Research Facility in Proteomics opened in May 2011, I have provided technical support and expertise, and still continue to work on exciting projects: investigation of the differences in protein expression in testes, between two species of drosophila; proteomic analysis of the defence mechanism of caterpillars; identification of the animal species of stone-age, archaeological bone using mass spectrometry; proteomic analysis of CSF in patients with meningitis; comparison of protein expression in different strains of Salmonella; protein discovery in Sodalis glossinidius and human cardiomyocytes.
The group expanded in April 2013 when we were joined by Dr Claire Eyers and her colleagues from Manchester. I continue to have a pastoral role within the group and provide training and guidance to new staff and visitors when required.
During my working life in research, I have continued to meet new challenges and worked with exciting and dedicated people, including everyone in CPR. I am very lucky to have had a job that I have enjoyed for the last 47 years. Not many people are able to say that! I still enjoy my work, but, plan to retire in July 2016. I know that I will miss the day to day challenges that research brings. If I don’t become too forgetful in the next couple of years then maybe I can be persuaded to stay a little longer
Publications
- Martín-Sanchez A, McLean L, Beynon RL, Hurst JL, Ayala G, Lanuza E, Martinez-Garcia F. (2014): From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance. Horm Behav. Aug 23, in press
- Marie M. Phelan, Lynn McLean, Jane L. Hurst, Robert J. Beynon and Lu-Yun Lian (2014): Comparative study of the molecular variation between ‘central’ and ‘peripheral’ MUPs and significance for behavioural signalling. Biochemical Society Transactions; 42, part 4
- Marie M Phelan, Lynn McLean, Stuart D Armstrong, Jane L Hurst, Robert J Beynon, and Lu-Yun Lian (2014): The structure, stability and pheromone binding of the male mouse protein sex pheromone darcin. Plos One, in press
- Enrique Lanuza, Ph.D.; Ana Martin-Sanchez, MSc; Pau Marco-Manclús, MSc; Bernardita Cádiz-Moretti, MSc; Lluís Fortes-Marco, MSc; Adoración Hernández-Martínez, PhD; Lynn McLean; Robert J. J Beynon, PhD; Jane L Hurst, PhD; Fernando Martinez-Garcia, PhD (2014): Sex pheromones are not always attractive: changes induced by learning and illness in mice. Animal Behaviour, (1-8)
- Dandrieux J.R., Noble P.J., Halladay L.J., McLean L., German A.J. (2013): Canine breed predispositions for marked hypocobalaminaemia or decreased folate concentration assessed by a laboratory survey. J. Small Anim. Pract. Mar; 54 (3): 143-8
- Sarah A. Roberts, Deborah M. Simpson, Stuart D. Armstrong, Amanda J. Davidson, Duncan H. Robertson, Lynn McLean, Robert J. Beynon and Jane L. Hurst. (2010): Darcin: a male pheromone that stimulates female memory and sexual attraction to an individual male’s odour. B.M.C. Biology June; 8: 75
- Philip Brownridge, Luciane Vieira de Mello, Mary E Peters, Lynn McLean, Amy Claydon, Andrew R. Cossins, Phillip D. Whitfield, and Iain S. Young. (2009): Regional Variation in Parvalbumin Isoform Expression Correlates with Muscle Performance in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio). J. Exp. Biol. Jan; 212 (Pt 2):184-193
- McLean, L., Hurst, J.L., Gaskell, C.J., Lewis, J.C.M., Beynon, R.J. (2007): Characterization of Cauxin in the Urine of Domestic and Big Cats. J. Chem. Ecol.33:1997-2009
- McLean, L., Young, I.S., Doherty, M.K., Robertson, D.H.L., Cossins, A.R., Gracey, A.Y., Beynon, R.J. & Whitfield, P.D. (2007): Global Cooling: Cold acclimation and the expression of soluble proteins in carp skeletal muscle. Proteomics, 7 (15):2667-81
- Doherty, M.K., Mclean, L. & Beynon, R.J. (2007) Avian Proteomics: Advances, Challenges and New Technologies. Cytogenetic and Genome Research; 117 (1-4):358-69
- Burniston, .J.G., Mclean, L., Beynon, R.J., Goldspink, D.F. (2007): Anabolic effects of a non-myotoxic dose of the