Structure and sequence in biological macromolecular interaction
Renos Savva is principal investigator with a focus upon structural biology centred upon x-ray crystallography, combined with bioinformatics and synthetic protein manipulation and design.
Biological macromolecules interact precisely at the atomic level based upon structural and biophysical properties, which can be interrogated in silico by signatures such as sequence motif conservation at the amino acid and nucleotide level. Significant changes in recognised motif signatures can either support essentially identical structural configurations from a chemical perspective, or else may be indicative of novel functional characteristics. Furthermore, synthetic library methods may also shed light upon essential properties of sequence to structure relationships. We apply structural biology, bioinformatics and synthetic methods to generate deeper insight into biophysical and evolutionary hidden signatures essential to macromolecular interactions.
Systems currently under study include uracil-DNA repair and its relationship to essential biological processes such as replication, especially in viruses. We also study the phenomenon of viral antagonism of cellular uracil-DNA repair and its evolutionary context. We apply synthetic library methods to decipher the nature of motif conservation and evolution, as well as to repurpose large-scale macromolecular assemblies.
Dr Savva is also involved in industrial outreach, for the purposes of scientific collaboration as well as being programme coordinator for the MSc Bio-business at Birkbeck, and sitting on the BBSRC LIDo Phd programme's industry, impacts and internships committee. Dr Savva is also active in local PhD and postdoctoral researcher career development.
