Rate My Professor Eric Hanssen

Professor Eric Hanssen is a Professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne, where he serves as Professorial Fellow at the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute. He heads the Ian Holmes Imaging Centre, a core facility providing advanced electron microscopy services including cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM), electron tomography, and 3D imaging. Hanssen joined the University of Melbourne in early 2010 after completing postdoctoral studies. His primary academic interest is 3D electron microscopy, encompassing cryoEM, tomography, and block face imaging techniques. These methods support structural biology research across health and medicine, particularly in imaging macromolecular complexes and cellular ultrastructures.

Hanssen's research contributions include high-resolution cryoEM imaging for Plasmodium falciparum studies, revealing structures of the parasite's 80S ribosome and proteasome. Key publications feature 'Cryo-EM structure of the Plasmodium falciparum 80S ribosome' (2014, eLife), which elucidated ribosome architecture for antimalarial targeting; 'Mefloquine targets the Plasmodium falciparum 80S ribosome to inhibit protein synthesis' (2017), demonstrating drug binding mechanisms; and 'Design of proteasome inhibitors with oral efficacy in vivo against malaria' (2021, PNAS), where his imaging confirmed drug-proteasome interactions leading to novel candidates blocking parasite waste recycling. Additional works cover mitochondrial remodeling in placental cells, bacterial secretion systems, and facility development, such as 'Pitfalls and Successes of Building a Dedicated Electron Microscopy Facility from Scratch' (Microscopy and Microanalysis). He received the NHMRC Science to Art Award in 2011 for the image 'Spooning'. With over 10,000 citations on Google Scholar, his work impacts microscopy advancements and parasitology. As facility head, he enables collaborative structural biology at Bio21.