The Molecular Biophysics Section has a strong focus on Structural Biology and the determination of protein structures by X-ray crystallography and NMR, supported by other biophysical techniques, computational biology and bioinformatics analysis. Current research interests include: antibody structure; IgE-receptor interactions in allergy and structure-based drug design; protein-RNA and protein-DNA interactions; anti-viral drug design; muscle protein structure; cytoplasmic transport proteins; single-molecule protein folding; structural bioinformatics and molecular dynamics simulation. There are strong collaborative links across the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, as well as with the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.
The Section is equipped for X-ray structure determination, including a robotic crystallisation facility, an X-ray scanner to test crystals in situ during crystallisation, and three X-ray data collection systems. NMR facilities include 400, 600, 700 and 800 MHz spectrometers in the recently refurbished King’s Centre for Biomolecular Spectroscopy, which also houses chiroptical spectroscopy, SPR, ITC and protein mass spectrometry facilities. Cryo-EM facilities are available in the new Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging and also scanning probe microscopy and single molecule force spectroscopy in collaboration with the Physics Department.
Research is funded by the MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, The Wellcome Trust, The Royal Society, The European Union Framework Programme, medical charities including the British Heart Foundation and Asthma UK, and industrial collaborations.
Research groups