Research group

Molecular and Precision Biosciences

A man in lab sitting in fromt of a computer.

We research how molecular machinery governs cellular life, developing tools to tackle diseases caused when these molecular operations are disrupted.

About

Molecular interactions amongst biomacromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), carbohydrates and lipids are responsible for nearly every task of life. This includes how genetic information is read, replicated, repaired, catalysing biochemical reactions and maintaining cell shape and communication. 

Our knowledge of what these interactions look like, how they lead to function, and when and where they are present is key to understanding biology. Just as importantly, as molecular bio-scientists we strive to improve detection and interrogation of these interactions at ever increasing precision; developing new technologies to understand biological questions in cancer, antimicrobial resistance, neurodegenerative disease, and vaccine development. 

Our theme is excitingly positioned at discipline boundaries, our members interfacing chemistry, physics, and or computational and AI technologies with biology to achieve more detailed, more precise, and increasingly impactful insights into the molecular machinery governing cellular life, and death.

Our areas of interest 

  • Systems Biomedicine
  • Structural Biology 
  • AI-guided Computational Biology
  • Glycobiology
  • Antibody Therapy
  • Antimicrobial Resistance & Biofilms
  • Neurodegenerative Disease & Cancer
  • Natural Product Biosynthesis
  • Cell Membranes

Research highlights

People, projects and publications

People

Professor Phil Williamson

Head of School

Research interests

  • Molecular processes underpinning neurodegenerative disease
  • Structure and function of cell membranes
  • Development and application of solid-state NMR and other biophysical techniques for the analysis of biological systems

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Phil

Dr Richard Meek

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Eukaryotic Glycobiology
  • Carbohydrate-active Enzymes
  • Post-translational Modifications

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Rob Ewing

Professor

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Triana Amen

Lecturer in Advanced Cell Biology

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Triana
We cannot detect the molecular workings of cellular life with the human eye. Within this theme we utilize and develop ways to view the invisible, in order to demystify the parts they play in health and disease.
Theme Lead