Biomolecular Sciences

The main interests are in investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms of the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells, with a focus on the dysfunction of these processes in human disease. We study the function of protein complexes that control many aspects of gene regulation, from chromatin modification and epigenetic regulators through to transcriptional control, mRNA processing and turnover, miRNA regulators and translational control.

We share expertise with other members of the Gene Regulation and RNA Biology laboratory in a range of molecular techniques including protein structure/function analyses, cellular models of physiology and disease, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, confocal microscopy, transcriptomics, chIP-Seq, RTqPCR, CRISPR-CAS9 genome editing.

The main interests are the investigations of activity and mechanisms of action of new chemical entities, natural products and novel formulations of test agents to enhance and target drug delivery.

Of particular interest are self-assembling small molecule hydrogelators and apoferritin-encapsulated formulations for treatment of intractable, drug-resistant cancers, the exploration of protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-RNA interactions relevant to cancer.

We have expertise in a range of techniques including cell-based approaches, the design of fluorescence-based assays suitable for compound screening, and the application of target-based biochemical techniques to characterise protein-inhibitor complexes.