Physician. Born into a notable local family at Rubislaw House (Aberdeen), Skene was the son of Francis Skene (1704-75), who was Regent of Marischal College, and great grand-nephew of Sir George Skene (1619 - 1707), who had been Provost of Aberdeen. He graduated from Marischal College in 1755 and then completed a medical degree at King's College. In 1760, at a remarkably young age, he was appointed to the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Marischal College, replacing of his father. He became Professor of Civil and Natural History in 1775, but gave up this chair in 1788 to concentrate on his medical practice. Skene was a founding member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783.
In 1769, Skene married Margaret Gordon, daughter of Charles Gordon of Abergeldie, and the couple had eleven children. He died in Aberdeen and lies buried in the kirkyard of St. Nicholas' Church.
