Staff listing for the Biomolecular Science and Medicinal Chemistry Division
Louise O'Hara
postgraduate research student,
Contact
Biography
My undergraduate degree was biology BSc (Hons) from the University of Nottingham. After spending a few months as a lab technician for Eurofins I started a pharmacy PhD at the University of Nottingham. During my PhD I have completed a 3-month internship with QIAGEN in Manchester.
During my PhD I have also taken part in two public engagement events; Pint of Science as a treasurer and the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity as a speaker introducing the study of biotechnology to college students. I was the primary idea developer and event organiser for the latter.
Research Summary
Project title: Molecular insights into the binding between C. acetobutylicum quorum sensing receptor QsrB and its associated peptide.
Primary supervisor: Ingrid Dreveny
Secondary supervisor: Klaus Winzer
Research summary: Biofuel production in Clostridium acetobutylicum is regulated by quorum sensing, a bacterial intercellular communication process. The quorum-sensing regulator proteins undergoing characterisation in this research project significantly affect biobutanol production. Purification of the receptors has undergone optimisation, and charactrisation has been facilitated through SAXS analysis, ITC and mutational studies. Crystallography attempts will continue in order to assess the structure of the proteins through x-ray crystallography.