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Robert ("Bob") Lloyd

Professor Emeritus,

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Biography

Robert G Lloyd FRS (elected Fellow of The Royal Society in 2000)

Current Professional Activities

Scientific Advisory Board of the Michael Bishop Institute for Cancer Research, Chengdu, China (2017-2020); Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship Panel: Biological Sciences (2015-2020); Royal Society Sectional Committee (2016-2019).

Education and Appointments

Emeritus Professor, University of Nottingham 2017- ; Research Professor, University of Nottingham 2012-2016; Professor of Genetics, University of Nottingham 1997 - 2011; Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellow 1996-1997; Professor of Genetics and Head of Department, University of Nottingham 1993-1996; Wellcome Trust Research Leave Fellow, University of Nottingham 1988-1992; Professor of Genetics, University of Nottingham 1990 -1992; Reader in Genetics, University of Nottingham 1985-1990; Lecturer in Genetics, University of Nottingham 1974-1985; N.S.F. Postdoctoral Research Associate in Radiobiology, Yale University 1973-1974; Guinness Research Fellow in Microbiology, University of Oxford 1971-1973; D.Phil. (Microbial Genetics), University of Sussex 1968-1971; B.Sc. 1st class honours (Microbiology), University of Bristol 1965-1968.

Research Summary

Robert Lloyd is a bacterial geneticist who applied molecular, biochemical and structural methods over a 42-year career at Nottingham to study DNA recombination, replication and repair. He modeled how… read more

Selected Publications

Current Research

Robert Lloyd is a bacterial geneticist who applied molecular, biochemical and structural methods over a 42-year career at Nottingham to study DNA recombination, replication and repair. He modeled how the genetic material of an organism - its genome - is transmitted faithfully from one generation to the next.

Recombination is a vital evolutionary process that acts both to preserve genome integrity and to generate genetic diversity. Robert discovered many of the key genes associated with homologous recombination and recombination-dependent repair of damaged DNA in the bacterium Escherichia coli. His studies of the recR and recN genes shed light on the factors that facilitate initiation of recombination and DNA-break repair while his studies of ruv and recG established the critical role of the RuvABC protein complex and of the RecG helicase in processing DNA Holliday junction structures. This work paved the way towards an understanding of equivalent processes in human cells.

His discovery of the sbcC and sbcD genes and of their role in palindrome-mediated inviability laid the foundations for analysis of the SbcCD proteins in E. coli and of their RAD50 and MRE11 homologues in yeast and man where they orchestrate repair of DNA double-strand breaks and V(D)J recombination within the immune system.

Damage to DNA is unavoidable and can destabilise the genome, a common cause of cancer in human cells. Robert discovered that the E. coli enzyme RecG - which unwinds Holliday junctions and a number of other branched DNA structures - is an important player in genome maintenance. His research has also described how how conflicts between the protein machines associated with DNA replication and transcription are avoided or limited, or resolved when such conflicts do occur and threaten viability.

Past Research

Research Awards

MRC Programme (£801,251; 01/01/2009 - 31/12/2011) Maintaining genome integrity: Avoiding pathological consequences during DNA replication and repair.

MRC Programme (£1,855,794; 2003/2008) Genomic instability: Interplay between DNA replication, recombination and repair.

Wellcome Trust Project (£316,166; 2001-2004) Genome dynamics and the interplay between DNA replication, transcription and repair.

Wellcome Trust Project (£125,210; 2001-2003) Development of a genetic and molecular system to study homologous recombination and DNA repair in Archaea using Haloferax volcannii as a model organism.

BBSRC Committee Studentship (~£40,000; 2001 - 2004)

MRC Quota Studentship (~£40,000; 2002-2005)

BBSRC Committee Studentship (~£40,000; 2003 -2006)

MRC Programme (£1,481,220; 1998/2003) Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions In Genetic Recombination and DNA Repair.

MRC Equipment Grant (£50,000) - supplement to MRC programme.

MRC Consumables Grant (£28,750) - supplement to MRC programme grant

Royal Society-Leverhulme Trust (£23,001; 1996/97) Senior Research Leave Fellowship.

MRC Project (£270,301; 1995/98) DNA-helicase activity in genetic recombination and DNA repair

BBSRC (Project £154,820; 1995/98) Recognition and resolution of Holliday intermediates by junction-targeted recombination proteins.

British Council (£45,000; 1995/98) Genetic recombination in Escherichia coli: Resolution of recombination intermediates.

MRC (£6,000, 1995) Supplement to 1992 grant

BBSRC Project (£75,543; 1994/97) Processing of intermediates in recombination and DNA repair.

Wellcome Trust (£111,992, 1994) DNA-protein interactions in genetic recombination and gene expression.

Royal Society (£9,929; 1992) The enzymology of genetic recombination

British Council (£2,796; 1994). Support for visiting postdoctoral visitor.

Royal Society (£10,000; 1994) The enzymology of recombination - equipment grant

The Wellcome Trust (£50,377; 1993/96) Prize studentship - Mr Simon Vincent.

SERC (£111,339; 1992/95) Molecular pathways of recombination.

MRC Project (£178,964; 1992/95) Protein-DNA interactions in recombination and DNA repair.

SERC Project (£84,774; 1992/95) Genetic recombination: The formation and resolution of Holliday intermediates.

The Wellcome Trust (£24,771; 1991/92) Extension of Research Leave Fellowship

The Wellcome Trust (£2987; 1991) Equipment grant

MRC Project (£107,078, 1989/92) Molecular biology of recombination and DNA repair

SERC (£71,220; 1989/92) Molecular biology, enzymology and regulation of inducible recombination and DNA repair

The Wellcome Trust (£64,397; 1988/91) Research Leave Fellowship

SERC Project (£57,815; 1988/91) Analysis of sbcC, a gene that interferes with stable propagation of palindromes in E. coli host cell systems

SERC Project (£7,410; 1987/88) The RecN protein of E. coli - purification and preliminary studies

SERC Project (£42,823; 1985/89) Inducible recombination in E. coli: analysis of ruv and sbcC genes

SERC Project (£64,771; 1984/87) Inducible recombination and repair of DNA double-strand breaks

SERC Project (£57,500; 1982/85) Analysis of inducible recombination in E. coli

SERC Project (£26, 310; 1981/84) Analysis of DNA repair and mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

SERC Project (£24,918; 1978/81) Genetic control of recombination in Escherichia coli

SERC Project (£13,979; 1975/78) Analysis of recombination in Escherichia coli.

Awards Sponsored

Royal Society University Research Fellowship to Dr Thorsten Allers (£450,000; 2002-2010)

Wellcome Trust Career Development Award to Dr Karen Bunting (£441,375: 2005/2009)

Wellcome Trust Career Development Award to Dr Edward Bolt (£373,000: 2002/2006)

Lister Institute - Jenner Fellowship to Dr Peter McGlynn (£224,000; 2000-2005)

MRC Career Establishment Award to Dr Peter McGlynn (£548,000; 2001-2006)

MRC Quota Studentships to Institute of Genetics: 2 for 2001-2004, 2 for 2002-2005, 2 for 2003-2006: approximate value £200,000.

Royal Society University Research Fellowship to Dr Gary Sharples (£252,000; (1992-2000)

School of Life Sciences

University of Nottingham
Medical School
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham NG7 2UH

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