Vale Malcolm Simons
Friday, 27 January, 2012
Dr Malcolm Simons, immunologist and pioneer in understanding the significance of non-coding DNA in the 1980s and 1990s, has passed away at the age of 73, succumbing to multiple myeloma.
According to a message issued by his friends and family, he “was surrounded by family and friends and achieved his wish to die peacefully and with dignity. He did this (as always) on his own terms, and those with him felt privileged to witness such a beautiful exit.”
Dr Simons was one of the first to assert that non-coding, or so-called ‘junk,’ DNA played a significant role in biology.
Dr Simons went on to acquire a controversial patent in the 1990s over the utility of the non-coding sequences of DNA as they could be applied to diagnostic and gene mapping.
With Mervyn Jacobson, he co-founded Genetic Technologies in 1989, although he resigned from the company in 2000.
More recently, he also co-founded Haplomic Technologies, with an aim to study the haplotype, yielding a greater insight into how genes are related to disease.
A service will be held for Malcolm on Thursday 2nd February in Geelong.
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