Understanding and enabling control in biological systems - analysis, interpretation and manipulation.
We take a broad, multifactorial approach to understanding cellular functions and their control across a range of scales from molecules upwards. Some projects focus on identified and well-described signalling proteins sometimes interacting in unexpected ways or combinations e.g. nucleotide exchange factors, G-proteins and protein kinases. Other work seeks to apply cutting edge molecular analytical methods to the study of cells and tissues functioning collectively in health and disease e.g. direct imaging and detection of cell signalling molecules, proliferative drive or stemness using label-free Raman imaging or new ultra-fast, ultra-resolving electrophoretic approaches. We also aim to apply all of these approaches and our increased understanding of molecular and cellular behaviours to the engineering of living cells for the production of useful metabolites. Our research projects feature experimental work coupled with advanced mathematical, computational or statistical approaches or they can be entirely theoretical. We have active collaborations with a range academic groups across an array of disciplines from life sciences, physics, medicine and chemistry, all interested in understanding the molecular basis of cellular behaviours and processes. Collaborative research with analytical, metrology and bio-industrial companies is an important aspect of our work.
