William Trimble

William Trimble obtained his B.Sc. in microbiology in 1981 and PhD in cancer research in 1987, both at the University of Toronto. He then moved to Stanford University for postdoctoral studies with Dr. Richard Scheller where he identified the VAMP SNARE protein. 

In 1990, Trimble returned to the University of Toronto where he established a laboratory as a Scientist within the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases. He moved to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in 1995 and joined the Cell Biology program as a Senior Scientist. Trimble served as Associate Chief of Faculty Development for the Research Institute from 2000 to 2004 and was named the Program Head of the Cell Biology Program in 2006 and served until 2018. 

Trimble was awarded a Canada Research Chair in Molecular Cell Biology in 2005 and in 2006 was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is also a Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology at the University of Toronto. Trimble’s current research interests focus on the regulation of membrane fusion in the brain, and the mechanisms controlling cell division in normal and cancer cells. 

Education

• 1981–1987: PhD, Department of Medical Biophysics/Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 
• 1977–1981: B.Sc., Department of Microbiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 

Experience

• 2001–Present: Professor, Department of Biochemistry (primary appointment) and Department of Physiology (cross appointment) 
• 1996–2024: Senior Scientist, Program in Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children
  
• 2006–2018: Program Head, Program in Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children 
• 2001–2004: Associate Chief, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children 
• 2000–2002: Visiting Professor, School of Fundamental Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing China 
• 1997–2001: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry (primary appointment) Department of Physiology (cross appointment) 
• 1995–1997: Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, U of T 
• 1990–1997: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, U of T 
• 1990–1996: Scientist, Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, U of T 
• 1989–1990: MRC Centennial Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Laboratory of Dr. Richard Scheller 
• 1987–1989: MRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Laboratory of Dr. Richard Scheller 
• 1981–1987: MRC Doctoral Student, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Laboratory of Dr. Nobumichi Hozumi, Ph.D. Thesis Title: "Expression of the ras oncogene and cellular transformation" 

Achievements

• 2000–2005: Investigator, CIHR
• 2005–2019: Chair in Molecular Cell Biology, Canada Research Chairs
• 2006–Present: Fellow, Royal Society of Canada 

1. WS Trimble and S Grinstein (2015) Barriers to the free diffusion of proteins and lipids in the plasma membrane. J. Cell Biol. 208:259-271. 
2. Vissa, A, M Giuliani, CD Froese, MS Kim, F Soroor, PK Kim, WS Trimble* and CM Yip (2019) Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy of Septin Bundles in Mammalian Cells.  Cytoskeleton 76(1):63-72 * corresponding 
3. Boddy, KC, AD Gao, D Truong, MS Kim, CD Froese, WS Trimble, and JH Brumell (2018) Septins promote Salmonella invasion of host cells.  Cell. Micro. 20(10): e12866 
4. Marques, PE, S Nygaard, RF Collins, WS Trimble and S Grinstein (2019) Control of scavenger receptor SR-BI expression by multimerization and retention in the plasma membrane.  Multimerization and Retention of the Scavenger Receptor SR-B1 in the Plasma Membrane. Developmental Cell. 50(3):283-295.e5 
5. Heybrock, S, K Kanerva, Y Meng, C Ing, A Liang, Z-J Xiong, X Weng, YA Kim, R Collins, W Trimble, R Pomès, GG Privé, W Annaert, M Schwake, J Heeren, R Lüllmann-Rauch, S Grinstein, E Ikonen, P Saftig & D Neculai (2019) Lysosomal Integral Membrane Protein-2 (LIMP-2/SCARB2) is involved in lysosomal cholesterol export.  Nature Comm.  10(1):3521

Funding

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research 
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada