DNA and protein complexes

At MOAC, interactions between DNA, proteins and other chemicals such as metal complexes is an active research area, especially using spectroscopic techniques such as linear dichroism. Also, bioinformatics is used as a tool to help to infer protein-protein interactions and to analyse gene networks.

PhD researchers in this area:

[PHOTO]Adair Richards
A new class of anti-microbial agents; taking the fight to the 'Super Bugs'.

[PHOTO] The restriction enzyme EcoRI bound to DNA Martyn Rittman
Martyn uses linear dichroism to study cutting of DNA by restriction enzymes. He also produces mathematical models of the process and carries out optimisation of parameters using Markov chain Monte Carlo.

[PHOTO]Ben Smith
Reverse-engineering of the GPCR-mediated Pheromone Response Pathway in Fission Yeast

[PHOTO]Sam Robson
is using microarrays to study the differences in transciptomic response to the c-Myc oncogene in different tissues; skin and pancreas. Aberrant c-Myc activity is involved in most human cancers. Deregulation in vivo causes the skin to proliferate but the pancreas to undergo apoptosis.

[PHOTO]Peter Cock
Two-component regulation: modelling, predicting & identifying protein-protein interactions & assessing signalling networks of bacteria.