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The excision of introns from mRNA precursors is catalysed by the large and dynamic RNA-protein assembly called the spliceosome. Four large RNA-protein complexes, termed U1, U2, U5 and U4/ U6 snRNPs, and numerous non-snRNP proteins assemble on mRNA precursors and are remodelled extensively to form the catalytically active spliceosome. More…

Enzymatic modification of DNA leading to mutation is a molecular event essential to both innate and adaptive immunity. Thus, the elaboration of high affinity IgG antibodies depends upon somatic hypermutation at the IgV gene and class switch recombination at the IgC. More…

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the most powerful physical method available for the study of molecular structure in the solution state, probing interactions between nuclei to reveal their spatial relationships and dynamic properties. More…

The plasma membrane acts as both a barrier and an interface. It allows cells to maintain their internal composition, and provides the surface where most interactions with other cells takes place. More…

Circadian (approximately daily) rhythms are cell-intrinsic phenomena that permeate every level of biology, and thereby impact upon many aspects of health and disease. More…

Eukaryotic genes are normally transcribed as pre-mRNAs that must be processed before they are exported from the nucleus and translated into proteins. The pre-mRNA is cleaved and a poly(A) tail is added to its 3'end. More…

We aim to understand the molecular basis of chromosome stability in human cells. Genetic predisposition to cancer is commonly precipitated by mutations in genes that result in chromosome breakage. More…

Eukaryotic cells are subdivided into membrane-bounded organelles, each with a characteristic set of membrane proteins. These proteins must be targeted to their correct locations, a process which involves segregation of membrane proteins into small vesicles which bud from one compartment and fuse with another More…

Enzymatic modification of DNA leading to mutation is a molecular event essential to both innate and adaptive immunity. Thus, the elaboration of high affinity IgG antibodies depends upon somatic hypermutation at the IgV gene and classswitch recombination at the IgC. More…

The ribosome is central to protein synthesis in all cells. Some years ago, we solved the structure of the 30S ribosomal subunit and its complex with several antibiotics as well as its mRNA and tRNA ligands. These studies shed light on the role of the ribosome in the decoding of mRNA and on antibiotic function. More…

Immune responses are launched when innate immune cells encounter pathogenic microorganisms. These responses require profound changes in gene expression that are coordinated by latent transcription factors of the NF-κB and IRF families. More…

Our goal is to understand how the structure of chromatin is involved in transcriptional regulation and how the tips of chromosomes, the telomeres, are involved in preserving chromosome integrity. Our research focuses on two problems: the higher order structure of chromatin, and the structure of telomeres. More…

Regulation of cell shape by the cytoskeleton during development and tissue morphogenesis More…

We wish to understand the mechanisms that alleviate replication arrest following DNA damage and their consequences for the formation of mutations, the driving force in the development of cancer. More…

Elucidating the mechanisms by which nervous systems process information and generate behaviour is among the fundamental problems of biology. Ultimately, it is desirable to understand these processes at the most basic level, that of molecules and cells. More…

Molecular machines are large and flexible macromolecular assemblies that fulfill a wide range of vital processes in the cell. Understanding how these machines work is a strategic goal in modern molecular biology. More…

Miscarriages and genetic disorders such as Down's or Klinefelter's syndrome are most commonly caused by errors during meiotic maturation, the process by which an oocyte develops into an egg. Despite the central importance of mammalian oocyte maturation, our current understanding of this process is very limited. More…

Proteins and nucleic acids are transported between the cytoplasm and nucleus through nuclear pores, huge disc-shaped macromolecular assemblies about 125nm in diameter that perforate the nuclear envelope. More…

A true understanding of biology must include knowledge of its chemical origins, and comprehending the chemical events that gave biology its foundations - cellular format, the central dogma, the genetic code - is therefore a fundamental aspect of natural science. More…