We develop chemical tools that introduce targeted unnatural post-translational modifications into proteins. These modifications can engineer protein function, for example in a cellular context. We apply high-throughput approaches to enable the discovery of targeted chemical tools, and collaborate widely to apply them.
Professor Grigoriadis is a cell biologist interested in how bone and cartilage tissues are formed during embryonic development and in the post-natal remodelling skeleton, and how deregulated molecular mechanisms drive metabolic bone disease, in particular skeletal cancers.
I use single-molecule imaging to map out protein distributions in 3D in fixed cells or cell-cell contacts to establish how separation between and clustering of proteins influence signalling processes. I also use single-molecule tracking to study how molecules bind to receptors. I have developed single-molecule flow cytometry for charactersing expression...
We work at the intersection of AI and synthetic biology, creating DNA and protein designs that control expression, stability, activity, and cell fate. With strong computational and experimental capability, we build predictable biological components for biomedicine, supporting advances in biologics, cell therapies, and diagnostics. Prospective applicants will join a team...
We engineer biology at its most basic: genes. What if life’s genetic material were reimagined? What if evolution were given a broader chemical palette than DNA, RNA and proteins? We are developing methods for test-tube evolution using synthetic "Xeno-Nucleic Acids" (XNA). Navigating the diverse XNA structure space allows us to...
Amin Sadeghpour’s research focuses on designing and processing functional nanomaterials for food and health applications. He aims to decode how different nanostructures control the properties of biomaterials and their interactions with biological cells. Particular interest is in the sustainable processing of bio-inspired lipid-polymer hybrid networks with responsive nanoscale hierarchy for...
In our lab, we engineer rigidity-tuneable hydrogels and photopattern extracellular matrix protein designs to control the cellular microenvironment. This allows to study the molecular mechanisms of cellular mechanotransduction, a process by which cells sense and respond to mechanical cues in their surroundings.
We develop and optimise novel bioengineered in vitro models of functioning human neural circuitry, combining neurobiology, stem cell technology, engineering and microfabrication.
A key focus of his research is the application of electronic structure methods to understand and predict materials properties.
As chemists, we build an manipulate molecules and their assembly, as well as understanding complex system. Applications include synthesis and manipulation of nanomaterials (e.g. for theranosics), understanding interactions mediating complex systems (allowing control), and uncovering mechanisms behind complex molecules (e.g. melanins)
We aim to design aptamer-directed CARs (aCARs) to improve targeting and activation of CAR-T cells against solid tumors. Using human donor-derived T cells, we will engineer aCARs and assess their ability to trigger effector functions and tumor killing through phenotypic, metabolic, and functional profiling in established in vitro co-culture assays.
I am studying bio-mineralisation processes in renal and cardio-vascular systems: common mechanisms, promotors and inhibitors, role of proteins in bio-mineral deposition on vessel walls, crystallisation in biological fluids. A research topic of special interest to me is the mechanism of kidney stone formation. Everyone forms crystals in the urinary system,...
I lead my own lab group within the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and supervise several PhD and MSc students. My lab’s research primarily focuses on how to initiate neurogenesis in the mammalian brain, as typically most adult mammals are incapable of regenerating neurons after embryonic development. We do this by...
I am interested in the relationship between biomolecular structure and dynamics and how these modulate function. I develop time-resolved methods for X-ray crystallography and spectroscopy that can give us insight into the intricacies of biomolecular mechanisms and how these respond to changes in their local environment, especially in regard to...
My research is focussed on chemical, enzymatic and genetic methods to re-engineer proteins and carbohydrates for new applications in targeted drug delivery and medical diagnostics. For example, we can repurpose the carbohydrate-binding domain of cholera toxin to create a non-toxic delivery vehicle to carry macromolecules into the central nervous system.
Presently, my research interests are at the intersection of food, health and environmental sustainability: 1) I am particular interested in exploring how food choices may provide cognitive benefits over age, influence risk of on-set and progression of dementia, memory loss, Alzheimer disease.; and 2) Explore new healthier and sustainable nutrient sources- namely...
My group works to apply supramolecular chemistry in biological settings. We create transmembrane channels that can selectively transport water or ions across membranes; we create molecular cages formed from peptides, which can bind and transport biologically relevant cargo; we use high-affinity host-guest chemistry for supramolecular therapeutics, including antibody drug conjugates....
Our lab investigates the molecular machinery driving cellular movement and force—focusing on the myosin superfamily in health and disease, and how mutations or drugs alter function. Using structural biology and protein engineering, we uncover dynamic mechanisms to inform precision therapies. Our work bridges biomolecular engineering and programmable microenvironments to manipulate...
Chris is very interested in using his expertise in molecular and atomistic scale simulations to study the structural and mechanical properties of materials in biological, colloidal, interfacial and ionic systems.
Engineered transporters with designed substrate specificity Engineered control of biosynthetic pathways
My research integrates nanofabrication, biointerface engineering, and molecular biology to create precision nanotechnologies for molecular diagnostics and advanced therapies. I pioneered nanoneedles for intracellular sensing, omics, and gene delivery, enabling minimally invasive analysis and editing in living systems. My group applies these tools to engineer and monitor cells and tissues,...
My research covers two technical domains. Firstly, our lab uses an in vivo high throughput assay in either a directed evolution or deep mutational scanning format to develop intrinsically stable and tractable proteins. Secondly, we have developed both specific assays and general frameworks to identify protein therapeutics with the critical...
David Jayne is Bowel Cancer UK and RCS Engl. Professor of Surgery and Honorary Consultant Surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. His research interests focus on novel therapies for colorectal cancer and preclinical cancer models through to late phase surgical trials. He has previously held a multi centre grant...
We are developing polyvalent multifunctional nanoparticles (PMNs) to maximize the activity and accessibility of conjugated biomolecules and fully exploit multivalency to enhance targeting affinity and specificity. Our PMNs can be tailored for applications such as targeting antigen presenting cells to modulate their immune responses for potential immunotherapeutic treatment for allergy,...
My interests are inter- and cross-disciplinary research, at the borderline of materials surface engineering, life sciences, health, bioengineering, and medicine. My key area of interest is bionanotechnology, aspiring to control cellular and protein system behaviour at their interfaces with material surfaces. My work's aim is to influence the growth and...
My research interests centre around understanding and overcoming the biological barriers to improve drug delivery, with a key focus on enabling injection-free administration of complex drugs (peptides, proteins, nucleic acids). As part of this, I am interested in drug delivery systems, including nanomedicines and engineered exosomes. Finally, aspects of my...
Elisabeth has a long-standing expertise in using muscle cells (smooth, skeletal, cardiac) in culture to study biological and disease related questions often using microscopy-based readouts. This knowledge together with her understanding of the cytoskeleton and the cell biology of muscle cells has enabled her to maximally employ artificial environments in...
Lysosomes in health and disease: we study lysosomes, the cell's main organelle for degradation of cellular and extracellular material. We study lysosomes in live cells and isolate lysosomes for functional studies in vitro, this work has parallels to artificial organelles. Nanoinjection to manipulate cellular function: we are part of a...
In our lab we are particularly interested in engineering the chassis (the microbial cell), its genome, and its protein synthesis machinery, alongside the genetic construct itself, to fine tune the performance of such microbial cell factories for a range of applications. We use both high-throughput screening and directed evolution, as...
Our research uses biophysical &analytical approaches to characterize supramolecular structure and biological assemblies, based on mass spectrometry (MS) and allied techniques. We develop structural MS methods for challenging questions such as structural heterogeneity, conformational dynamics and (self-)assembly, to gain unique insights into e.g. membrane protein/lipid &drug interactions, amyloid assembly and...
We design and use cell engineering and imaging approaches whereby the latter span multiple lengths scales ranging from whole-body to subcellular levels. We use this for therapy development in oncology and immune medicine. We render engineered cell therapies more powerful and provide a better understanding of the mechanisms governing their...
Dr Stasiuk is a Reader in Imaging Chemistry at King’s College London. Dr Stasiuk’s research includes design and synthesis of novel multimodal imaging agents for MRI, PET and Optical Imaging. These include both small molecules and nanomaterials, based on inorganic complexes and semiconducting nanoparticles/quantum dots. The research is focused on...
Teeth are mineralised structures that need to maintain minerals to keep functioning. Diseases of demineralisation include dental caries and dental erosion affecting the majority of the population, causing pain and reduced quality of life. This project will explore peptides as a mechanism to enhance tooth mineralization- by designing peptides that...
I am interested in micro-environments, especially those found in relation to bacterial infections. Specifically, I look at the extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms, modelling the molecular structures found there, and then use these models to assess and predict the movement of small molecules (e.g. pharmaceuticals, antimicrobials) through these extracellular spaces....
We engineer synthetic cells (microparticles that integrate functions inc. sensing, biosynthesis and drug release) and bioinspired nanoparticles for applications inc. drug delivery and biosensing, employing microfluidics and robotics to create high-throughput particle synthesis and testing workflows. Current focuses are in cancer delivery/microenvironment modulation but we are also excited to work...
Jeremy Green is an experimental and theoretical developmental biologist working on morphogens, morphogenesis and the innovative understanding of fundamental mechanisms of shape, pattern and structure formation that make and repair the body. He was a co-discoverer with Professor Sir Jim Smith of the dose-threshold action of growth factor morphogens, laying...
I designed and applied engineer biology to resolve the problem in neuroscience.
My work focuses on label-free methodologies to tackle biomedical problems at the single-cell level. Specifically, Raman spectroscopy, both spontaneous Raman as well as SRS and CARS imaging, and microfluidics. I am the co-chair of the HYBIFA facility, able to do multiphoton imaging characterisation of biomedical samples using label-free vibrational imaging...
We are interested in exploiting recent developments in AI-driven protein design, to modify naturally occurring proteins to acquire new properties, for biomedical applications. We are particularly interested in exploiting ATP-driven protein oligomerization, to design synthetic protein-based nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery. A spin-out biotechnology company, Prosemble (www.prosemble.bio) has been developped...
Professor Liu's lab focuses on the development of the neural crest cell population. Undifferentiated neural crest cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transformations (EMT), migrate from the neural tube, and populate distant destinations. These cells display incredible plasticity, giving rise to diverse tissues ranging from bone and cartilage to adipocytes and neurons. Persistence...
His current research interests lie at the intersection of cellular biophysics and tissue mechanics. He combines fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, mathematical modelling and optogenetics to discover the principles governing collective cellular behaviours. By reconstructing complex tissues dynamics from the bottom up, he aims to reveal how individual cells shape emergent...
My group works on food structure and biofunction, and the underlying biological mechanism, with a particular focus on the bioactive nano-assemblies derived from food and their regulatory capacities in cell redox, taste sensing, absorption, and immune-responses. Examples of potential projects: Functionalise the ECM scaffold surface for optimal tissue culture performance,...
I lead a multidisciplinary research group to understand the hierarchical biomechanics of proteins and protein networks. We develop tools to explore multiscale mechanics, single molecule manipulation techniques, rheology and scattering to explore the structure, mechanics of living systems. We use an engineering biology approach to study programmable assembly of proteins...
The focus of her research is developing molecular strategies to enable early detection and improve treatment of head and neck cancers. Mahvash's work has led to new insights into causes of radiotherapy resistance in head and neck cancer patients with a particular focus on the role of tumour hypoxia and...
Understanding physico-chemical processes and spatial and temporal structural changes occurring during biomineralisation, and biomimetic engineering biology approaches to repair and replace lost hard tissues. Specifically, my expertise lies in a multimodal approach to drive forward our understanding of hard tissue structures at multiple length-scales and interactions at protein-mineral interfaces to...
Research in our lab focuses on using synthetic protein chemistry to elucidate how proteins are controlled by post-translational modifications. We are particularly interested in modifications of the polypeptide backbone, and how these and other modifications are involved in molecular ageing and cellular life and death decisions.
Dr Marc de Kamps’ expertise in computational modelling of dynamical systems and parameter identifiability aligns with Biomaterial Engineering through the in‑silico characterisation of soft‑tissue mechanics (muscle–tendon–joint). The work treats neuromuscular tissues as engineered biomaterials whose properties are measured and tuned within programmable microenvironments (task/episode states).
My work centres on RNA biology - including structure, dynamics and interactions of RNA with ligands. As such it fits perfectly into Biomolecular engineering domain. We use biochemistry and biophysical techniques (NMR, cryoEM, ITC, SEC-MALS, SEC-SAXS, BLI, MST, CD etc.), as well as cellular techniques (CLIP, LC MS/M/S, proximity labelling,...
My work addresses the use, design and preparation of nanomaterials for a range of biological interactions. We address synthetic chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, materials chemistry, imaging sciences and photo physics.
Our overarching ambition is to create the tools needed to understand and control biological membranes. To achieve this, my group develops new single-molecule methods for optical imaging and creates new forms of artificial membranes. We then actively demonstrate the power of combining these complementary tools by addressing specific outstanding questions...
Simulation-guided design of membrane-active peptide to functionalise cell membranes.
I am interested in the effect of nanoscale confinement on physical and chemical processes underpinning life. I have found that nucleic acid-nucleic acid and nucleic acid-enzyme interactions proceed qualitatively differently in dense and ordered nanosystems than bulk solutions, suggesting that enzyme diffusion can be controlled in DNA-based nanoreactors. Keywords: DNA-RNA...
(1) Simulation of MOFs with enzyme-mimetic active sites for intracellular catalysis and imaging. (2) Simulation of surface-functionalised nanoparticles that mimic biological ligands to trigger selective endocytosis. (3) in silico design of catalysts with surface ligands that target specific cell types. (4) computational pipeline to screen bioinspired catalysts for intracellular delivery....
Our interests lie in the nuclear envelope's and nuclear lamina's roles in ageing and disease. For this, we generate and characterise models of cardiac myopathy and skeletal myopathies in cells and preclinical models (mouse and iPSC-derived cells).
We are particularly interested in uncovering signal transduction pathways from growth factor receptors controlling the actin cytoskeleton, which drives plasma membrane protrusion at the leading edge of migrating cells
Max Ryadnov leads biometrology and engineering biology research areas at NPL. He is an NPL Fellow in biometrology, professor of biophysics, director of the UK’s reference biofoundry and holds a PhD in chemistry.In his role, Max is responsible for pre-normative research, metrology and standardisation for industry, with an emphasis on...
Professor Maya Thanou’s research in pharmaceutical nanotechnology employes Engineering Biology principles by applying nature inspired components for modular design of smart nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery. Her work integrate modelling and stimuli-responsive systems, enabling programmable interactions with biological environments. This approach exemplifies engineering principles in biology, advancing precision medicine and...
Nano-encapsulation of essential oils facilitates their entry into bacterial cells, producing a new paradigm for antibacterial agents. The developed nano-encapsulation technologies will be adapted to facilitate the insinuation of drugs into human cells. This would be an extension of an already existing collaboration in the School of Food Science and...
Our group works in the field of chemical biology, applying chemical tools to understand dynamic protein function and small molecule mode of action in cells and at the molecular level. We use covalent chemistry to modify specific proteins or protein families in live cells. The aim is to visualise, identify...
Our research integrates engineering biology, AI and bioprocess systems engineering to design biological pathways and optimise biotechnology for sustainable food and target molecules. My lab researches waste-to-microbial protein fermentation, microbiome and retrobiosynthesis, and hybrid AI-based optimisation of bioprocesses. We also develop interpretable AI tools for toxicity and sustainability prediction, advancing...
Research in the group is focussed on creating new methods to precisely engineer proteins. O These methods are then applied to challenges across engineering biology including precision formation of biopharmaceuticals such as antibody-drug conjugates and vaccines, and the reengineering of cells. Current major projects include IMProGlyco, an EIC-funded project, to...
Our current research focuses on the cytoskeleton, specifically molecular motors and their tracks, how they work, how they are regulated, and disease. We use a wide range of tools, from expression and purified proteins to cell culture, super-resolution imaging (iSIM, STED, PALM and STORM), CryoEM and CryoET, and Affimer/Adhiron technology...
My research interrogates the molecular/nanoscale interactions and processing of biomolecular systems with enzymes, focused on two areas. Designer DNA origami direct or resist nuclease digestion to develop them as delivery vehicles for cellular therapy and/or genome engineering. Processing of collagen structures by MMP enzymes in-vitro are investigated as simple models...
Dr Shangaris’ lab investigates how the fetal liver generates blood and immune cells before birth. Using engineering biology, the team recreates fetal haematopoiesis through 3D organoid and organ-on-chip models of the placenta, liver interface. By combining bioengineering, single-cell analysis, and developmental immunology, the lab reveals how maternal signals shape fetal...
Development of single molecule tools for introducing or extracting precise amounts of biological material into or from living cells. Development of functional DNA origami nanostructures for the characterizaiton of protein-protein interactions and single molecule biosensing
We have expertise on artificial cells. vesicle-based drug delivery and LNP formulations , including: 1. Metabolite-triggered drug release systems. 2. Vesicle in hydrogel drug delivery depots that can be sprayed over target tissue during laparoscopic surgery. 3. Hybrid vesicles with tuneable drug release rates. 4. Enhanced LNP formulations for improved...
I work on engineering biomembranes, such as self-assembled lipid membranes. I have an interest in fluorescence proteins – my relevance to biomedical is experience studying FRET, using fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), AFM. Could be useful to study medically-important proteins that cluster together as part of their function....
My research broadly involves using chemical, biological and engineering tools for integrating imaging into the development of novel therapies for a bettter understanding of their behaviour in vitro and in vivo, and to optimise their clinical translation. We collaborate closely with pharmaceutical companies and leading drug developers with insterests in...
The Richter Lab develop physics and chemistry tools to address bioscience questions that are intractable with conventional methods. We focus on ‘biological interfaces’ such as cell membranes and extracellular matrices: how they regulate inter- and intra-cellular communication and how this can be exploited to direct cell fate decisions, and for...
Our team studies the functions and interactions of proteins using structural, cell, chemical and computational biology approaches. We work towards understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin cellular functions and how these events are altered in human diseases such as cancer. We are developing new approaches that combine synthetic and computational...
Lipids are essential to numerous cellular processes, yet are understudied. Lipids’ therapeutic potential has not been fully realised, partly due to poor understanding of their metabolism and functions. Our primary interest is to study the cell biology of lipids in processes including cell division, cell-cell interactions and organelle structure. We...
The Isaacson group uses biophysics techniques, including NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, to probe macromolecular structure and interactions of molecules relevant to health and disease. Their research questions, largely BBSRC funded, focus on mechanisms for maintaining proteostasis within the crowded cell in both mammalian and bacterial systems.
computational design of membrane receptors and peptides for cellular reprogramming, design of protein-protein interfaces in signaling complexes
We study how tissue mechanics and osmotic stress affect resident immune cells using in vitro and in/ex vivo assays. We focus on how these cues shape signalling and gene expression in response to antigens or chemokines, and how they can be harnessed to enhance immune cell fitness, such as of...
We are interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate T cell activation in disease, particularly cancer, and health. This encompasses analysis of T cell receptor signalling pathways and cellular metabolism. We use a combination of in vivo transgenic and knockout mouse models and in vitro cellular and molecular immunology approaches.
Research throughout my career has focused on the regulation, biosynthesis, and genomics of microbial secondary metabolism, primarily that of Streptomyces species. As of Septembrer 2023, the team consists of 3 PDRAs and 3 PhD students. The lab is gateful for support received from BBSRC, InnovateUK, The Royal Society and Wellcome...
Our research seeks to uncover the chemical origins of life on early Earth. We aim to understand the prebiotic chemistries that occurred without enzyme catalysis, how they avoided chaotic mixtures and uncontrolled reactions from energetic molecules, and whether life’s core biological structures emerged because they were inherently favoured as soon...
I am a systems neurophysiologist, studying plasticity and interaction between the spinal circuits and their modulators - the sensory inputs from periphery and descending inputs from brain.
he biosynthesis of natural products continues to be a vitally important area of research in the search for new antibiotics, anticancer and antimalarial agents and other biologically active compounds. About 80% of clinically used compounds are natural product derived. The biochemical catalysts which orchestrate the creation of these complex compounds...
My work in relation to Engineering Biology is understanding and controlling the properties and phase behaviour of lipid membranes, from simple model membranes to complex full lipid extracts. I study the mechanisms of phase separation, behaviour around critical points, the coupling of membrane dynamics to water/surfaces and protein interactions and...
Our laboratory leads translational research in cancer immunology, focusing understanding B cell antibody responses and immune cells such as macrophages and NK cells in solid tumours. Insights from patient immunity helps us design novel Fc-enhanced antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). We aim to bridge immunotherapy and synthetic biology, advancing antibody...
Dr Sophia Tsoka centres on Biomedical Data Science and Bioinformatics, focusing on explainable AI models that integrate multi-omic and clinical data to reveal mechanisms of human disease. Her work advances interpretable deep learning, optimisation-based AI and explainable drug discovery, bridging together algorithmic developement with translational relevance across systems modelling, precision...
My research vision is to solve real-life tribological challenges, from hip joint prosthetics to sustainable food innovation. Versatile measurement tools used in my projects include laser-induced fluorescent labelling to study the dynamics of soft surfaces and optical tribometers enabling analysis of protein films with engineering precision. I have worked on...
My group has worked on a range of different systems and technologies from developing new small molecules, membrane protein scaffolds, biosensors and time-resolved approaches. We have an interest in engineering membrane proteins and lipid scaffolds and also cell free expression systems
We use the latest generation of microscopic, tomographic and spectroscopic X-ray analysis techniques at national and international facilities (especially at Diamond Light Source, www.diamond.ac.uk, and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, www.esrf.fr) to establish the molecular basis for biochemical processes relevant for medicine development. This work is extremely interdisciplinary, combining aspects...
Our research is about tissue repair, with a focus on the extracellular matrix (ECM) in scarring/fibrosis. The fibrotic ECM has altered composition, organisation, stability, topography… We aim to collaborate to: 1) model the different microenvironments and study the instructive nature of ECM on cell biology; 2) design cell and/or material...
The group works at the interface between nanomaterials science, chemistry and chemical engineering within the Institute of Process Research and Development at the University of Leeds. We are focused on exploring the relationship between the synthesis of nanomaterials and the resultant structure and performance. Our interdisciplinary team combines the synthesis...
Our research explores how intrinsically disordered proteins self-assemble to create liquid droplet-like compartments in living cells, and bio-inspired soft materials with tunable properties. By designing and functionalising disordered proteins, we aim to build intracellular ‘factories’ with novel functions, develop disordered protein-based biomaterials for targeted drug delivery, and control communication between...
Molecular communication (MC) provides a way for nano/microdevices to communicate information over distance via chemical signals in nanometer to micrometer scale environments. To tackle the challenges on the lack of nano/micro-devices capable of processing the time-varying chemical concentration signals, my group aims to design the chemical reaction-based microfluidic MC prototypes...
Our lab carries out cross-disciplinary research dissecting the properties of cell walls and their function in cell-to-cell communication. We characterized (and developed molecular probes for) a beta-1,3 glucan polymer present in plants, algae, fungi and bacterial cell wall and found applications in the development of bio-inspired materials (hydrogels) that could...
We are engineering ribosomes and membrane protein quality-control systems to improve folding and expression of antibodies and membrane proteins. In parallel, we are manipulating liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) to create programmable intracellular microenvironments that control protein fate. This work will enable reliable production of complex biologics and expand therapeutic possibilities.