# Julian Rayner

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**Julian Charles Rayner** is a New Zealand-British [malaria](/source/Malaria) researcher and academic. He is Professor of Cell Biology and the Director of the [Cambridge Institute for Medical Research](/source/Cambridge_Institute_for_Medical_Research) (CIMR), part of the [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge) School of Clinical Medicine. He was previously a member of academic faculty at the [Wellcome Sanger Institute](/source/Wellcome_Sanger_Institute)[1] and Director of Wellcome Connecting Science.[2]

Julian Rayner became Director of CIMR in 2019.[3]

## Education

Rayner was born in New Zealand,[4][5] and completed his undergraduate studies at [Lincoln University](/source/Lincoln_University_(New_Zealand)),[6] before undertaking his [PhD](/source/PhD) at the [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge).[7] His doctoral research investigated the sorting of [membrane proteins](/source/Membrane_protein) in the yeast secretory pathway while based at the [Medical Research Council](/source/Medical_Research_Council_(United_Kingdom)) (MRC) [Laboratory of Molecular Biology](/source/MRC_Laboratory_of_Molecular_Biology) (LMB) in Cambridge.[7]

## Career and research

Rayner began working on malaria parasites during a postdoctoral fellowship at the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](/source/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention) in Atlanta.[8] Rayner's first faculty position was at the [University of Alabama Birmingham](/source/University_of_Alabama_Birmingham), where he was an assistant professor between 2002 and 2008.[9]

Rayner joined the Sanger Institute as a Group Leader in 2008,[8] and became a Senior Group Leader in 2013.[10] In 2014 he was appointed as the Director of Connecting Science for the Wellcome Genome Campus,[11] a role he held until 2024.[12]

In 2019, he joined the University of Cambridge, as the director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research.[3] He was also elected to the Chair of Cell Biology in the School of Clinical Medicine.[13]

Rayner's research interests focus on how *[Plasmodium](/source/Plasmodium)* parasites recognise, invade and manipulate human red blood cells with the goal of identifying and prioritising new drug and vaccine targets. Working with collaborators such as [Beatrice Hahn](/source/Beatrice_Hahn), he has demonstrated that *[Plasmodium falciparum](/source/Plasmodium_falciparum)* is likely to have originated in gorillas, rather than chimpanzees or ancient humans.[14] Together with colleagues at the Sanger Institute, Rayner identified a key [ligand](/source/Ligand_(biochemistry)) which is essential for erythrocyte invasion by *P. falciparum* and therefore has significant anti-malarial potential.[15] He co-led collaborative teams that carried out the first large-scale genetic screens in *Plasmodium* parasites,[16][17][18] and—with colleagues at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Institute in Kenya—established that the rare blood group Dantu protects individuals from malaria by increasing the tension of red blood cells, reducing the ability of *P. falciparum* parasites to invade them.[19][20][21]

### Public engagement

In March 2011, Rayner took part in the Argon Zone of the science engagement activity *[I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!](/source/I'm_a_Scientist,_Get_me_out_of_here!)*, where he won £500 to put towards a science communication project.[22] Rayner used the prize money to create [compact disc](/source/Compact_disc) versions of the interactive game Malaria Challenge[23] and distributed copies freely to schools in the UK.[24]

### Honours and awards

In 2015, he was awarded CA Wright Memorial medal by the [British Society for Parasitology](/source/British_Society_for_Parasitology).[25]

In 2022, Rayner was elected as a Fellow of EMBO, the [European Molecular Biology Organization](/source/European_Molecular_Biology_Organization).[26]

In 2023, Rayner was elected to the Fellowship of the [Academy of Medical Sciences](/source/Academy_of_Medical_Sciences) in the UK.[27]

## External links

- [Rayner Lab website](http://www.theraynerlab.org)
- [Cambridge Institute for Medical Research profile](https://www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-julian-rayner-fmedsci)

## References

1. ["Faculty"](https://www.sanger.ac.uk/people/faculty/). *www.sanger.ac.uk*. Retrieved 2026-03-13.

1. ["Rayner, Julian"](https://www.sanger.ac.uk/person/rayner-julian/). *www.sanger.ac.uk*. Retrieved 2026-03-13.

1. ["A New Director for the CIMR"](https://www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/news/newdirector)

1. ["Julian Rayner: stopping malaria"](https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2504040/julian-rayner-stopping-malaria) (in en-nz). *[RNZ](/source/RNZ)*. 2011-12-03. Retrieved 2023-03-28.

1. ["ASTMH - Julian Rayner, PhD"](https://www.astmh.org/blog/september-2018/julian-rayner,-phd). *www.astmh.org*. Retrieved 2023-03-28.

1. Rayner, Julian (1992). [*Southwestern blotting to establish the composition of UGPB, a putative transcription factor that binds to the rabbit uteroglobin promotor*](https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/3748) (Bachelors thesis). Research@Lincoln, Lincoln University. [hdl:10182/3748](https://hdl.handle.net/10182/3748)

1. Rayner, Julian Charles (1997). ["Sorting of membrane proteins in the yeast secretory pathway"](https://copac.jisc.ac.uk/id/36260432?style=html) (PhD). *jisc.ac.uk*. University of Cambridge. [OCLC 154434100](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/154434100)

1. Rayner, Professor Julian (2018-12-05). ["Professor Julian Rayner"](https://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/directory/dr-julian-rayner). *www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk*. Retrieved 2026-03-13.

1. ["Julian Rayner, PhD"](https://www.astmh.org/blog/september-2018/julian-rayner,-phd). [American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene](/source/American_Society_of_Tropical_Medicine_and_Hygiene). 11 September 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2025.

1. ["Dr Julian Rayner - Senior Group Leader"](http://www.sanger.ac.uk/people/directory/rayner-julian)

1. ["Genome Campus appoints Director of Scientific Conferences and Engagement"](http://www.sanger.ac.uk/news/view/2014-03-10-genome-campus-appoints-director-of-scientific-conferences-and-engagement)

1. ["Dr Ireena Dutta appointed Interim Director of Wellcome Connecting Science"](https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/news/dr-ireena-dutta-appointed-interim-director-of-wellcome-connecting-science/). *www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org*. Retrieved 2026-03-13.

1. ["Malaria expert appointed Director of Cambridge Institute of Medical Research"](https://www.staff.admin.cam.ac.uk/appointments/malaria-expert-appointed-director-of-cambridge-institute-of-medical-research). 24 April 2019.

1. Liu, W; Li, Y; Learn, G. H.; Rudicell, R. S.; Robertson, J. D.; Keele, B. F.; Ndjango, J. B.; Sanz, C. M.; Morgan, D. B.; Locatelli, S; Gonder, M. K.; Kranzusch, P. J.; Walsh, P. D.; Delaporte, E; Mpoudi-Ngole, E; Georgiev, A. V.; Muller, M. N.; Shaw, G. M.; Peeters, M; Sharp, P. M.; Rayner, J. C.; Hahn, B. H. (2010). "Origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in gorillas". *Nature*. **467** (7314): 420–5. [Bibcode:2010Natur.467..420L](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010Natur.467..420L). [doi:10.1038/nature09442](https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09442). [PMC 2997044](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2997044). [PMID 20864995](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20864995)

1. Crosnier, C; Bustamante, L. Y.; Bartholdson, S. J.; Bei, A. K.; Theron, M; Uchikawa, M; Mboup, S; Ndir, O; Kwiatkowski, D. P.; Duraisingh, M. T.; Rayner, J. C.; Wright, G. J. (2011). "Basigin is a receptor essential for erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum". *Nature*. **480** (7378): 534–7. [Bibcode:2011Natur.480..534C](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011Natur.480..534C). [doi:10.1038/nature10606](https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10606). [PMC 3245779](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3245779). [PMID 22080952](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22080952)

1. Bushell, Ellen; Gomes, Ana Rita; Sanderson, Theo; Anar, Burcu; Girling, Gareth; Herd, Colin; Metcalf, Tom; Modrzynska, Katarzyna; Schwach, Frank; Martin, Rowena E.; Mather, Michael W.; McFadden, Geoffrey I.; Parts, Leopold; Rutledge, Gavin G.; Vaidya, Akhil B. (2017-07-13). ["Functional Profiling of a Plasmodium Genome Reveals an Abundance of Essential Genes"](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5509546/). *Cell*. **170** (2): 260–272.e8. [doi:10.1016/j.cell.2017.06.030](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.06.030). [ISSN 1097-4172](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1097-4172). [PMC 5509546](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5509546). [PMID 28708996](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28708996)

1. Zhang, Min; Wang, Chengqi; Otto, Thomas D.; Oberstaller, Jenna; Liao, Xiangyun; Adapa, Swamy R.; Udenze, Kenneth; Bronner, Iraad F.; Casandra, Deborah; Mayho, Matthew; Brown, Jacqueline; Li, Suzanne; Swanson, Justin; Rayner, Julian C.; Jiang, Rays H. Y. (2018-05-04). ["Uncovering the essential genes of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by saturation mutagenesis"](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6360947/). *Science*. **360** (6388). [doi:10.1126/science.aap7847](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap7847). [ISSN 1095-9203](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1095-9203). [PMC 6360947](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6360947). [PMID 29724925](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29724925)

1. Oberstaller, Jenna; Xu, Shulin; Naskar, Deboki; Zhang, Min; Wang, Chengqi; Gibbons, Justin; Pires, Camilla Valente; Mayho, Matthew; Otto, Thomas D.; Rayner, Julian C.; Adams, John H. (2025-02-07). ["Supersaturation mutagenesis reveals adaptive rewiring of essential genes among malaria parasites"](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12131478/). *Science*. **387** (6734). [doi:10.1126/science.adq7347](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adq7347). [ISSN 1095-9203](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1095-9203). [PMC 12131478](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12131478). [PMID 39913589](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39913589)

1. Kariuki, Silvia N.; Marin-Menendez, Alejandro; Introini, Viola; Ravenhill, Benjamin J.; Lin, Yen-Chun; Macharia, Alex; Makale, Johnstone; Tendwa, Metrine; Nyamu, Wilfred; Kotar, Jurij; Carrasquilla, Manuela; Rowe, J. Alexandra; Rockett, Kirk; Kwiatkowski, Dominic; Weekes, Michael P. ["Red blood cell tension protects against severe malaria in the Dantu blood group"](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7116803/). *Nature*. **585** (7826): 579–583. [doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2726-6](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2726-6). [ISSN 1476-4687](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1476-4687). [PMC 7116803](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7116803). [PMID 32939086](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939086)

1. Kariuki, Silvia N; Macharia, Alexander W; Makale, Johnstone; Nyamu, Wilfred; Hoffman, Stephen L; Kapulu, Melissa C; Bejon, Philip; Rayner, Julian C; Williams, Thomas N; On behalf of for the CHMI-SIKA Study Team (2023-06-13). ["The Dantu blood group prevents parasite growth in vivo: Evidence from a controlled human malaria infection study"](https://elifesciences.org/articles/83874). *eLife*. **12**. [doi:10.7554/eLife.83874](https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83874). [ISSN 2050-084X](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2050-084X). [PMC 10264070](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10264070). [PMID 37310872](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37310872)

1. ["How Dantu blood group protects against malaria – and how all humans could benefit"](https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/how-dantu-blood-group-protects-against-malaria-and-how-all-humans-could-benefit/). *www.sanger.ac.uk*. Retrieved 2026-03-16.

1. ["Argon Zone – I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here"](https://argonm11.imascientist.org.uk/2011/03/im-a-scientist-and-the-winner-is). Retrieved 2018-08-22.

1. ["Malaria Challenge"](https://www.yourgenome.org/interactives/malaria-challenge)

1. ["I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here"](https://imascientist.org.uk/2012/02/what-julian-rayner-did-with-his-prize-money/). Retrieved 2018-08-22.

1. ["CA Wright Memorial Medal"](http://www.bsp.uk.net/about-the-bsp/wright-medal-winners/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120610063104/http://www.bsp.uk.net/about-the-bsp/wright-medal-winners/) 2012-06-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-12-07.

1. ["EMBO elects 67 new members and associate members"](https://www.embo.org/press-releases/embo-elects-67-new-members-and-associate-members/). 6 July 2022.

1. ["Outstanding biomedical and health researchers elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship"](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/more/news/outstanding-biomedical-and-health-researchers-elected-to-academy-of-medical-sciences-fellowship)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Julian Rayner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Rayner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Rayner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.