Author: Brackley, Paul
Title: Exploring why older women find it harder to fall pregnant
Reference Cambridge Independent 15-21 November 2017
Year: 2017
Type: Science
Subject: Melina Schuh established a new lab at Bourn Hall Clinic to uncover the biological secrets behind age and pregnancy
Keywords: Melina Schuh; Bourn Hall Clinic: older women; chromosomes; pregnant; meiosis; IVF; oocytes; Bianka Seres; spindle; kinetochores; miscarriage; fertility
Photographs: Melina Shuh, Bianka Seres in the new labAuthor: MRC Network
Title: How protein machinery drives healthy gene expression
Reference MRC Network Winter 2017/18
Year: 2017
Type: Science
Subject: Dr Lori Passmore and her team used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) – to study a large protein complex called ‘cleavage and polyadenylation factor’ or CPF.
Keywords: Lori Passmore; gene expression; ‘cleavage and polyadenylation factor’ (CPF); viral infections; atomic model; structure; machinery; cryo-EM
Photographs:Author: Booth, Robert
Title: Francis Crick Institute’s £700m building ‘too noisy to concentrate’
Reference The Guardian 21 November 2017
Year: 2017
Type: History - General
Subject: It is a £700m cathedral to biomedical science, where scientists work together to make breakthroughs in cancer, neuroscience, pandemics and genetics. But the Francis Crick Institute is not proving to be the easiest place to concentrate.
Keywords: The Francis Crick Institute; ‘too noisy to concentrate’; Alan Penn; “creative interplay”; building
Photographs: The Francis Crick Institute from outside: Inside view of Francis Crick InstituteAuthor: Brackley, Paul
Title: Royal Society award for Dr Greg Jefferis of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology as he seeks to understand how our brains work
Reference Cambridge Independent 19 July 2018
Year: 2018
Type: Awards & Prizes
Subject: Dr Greg Jefferis, group leader in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division, has been awarded the Francis Crick Medal and Lecture 2018
Keywords: Greg Jefferis; Francis Crick Medal; Drosophila; human brain; Royal Society; brain function; award; neurons
Photographs: Greg Jefferis in officeAuthor: Ward, Sally E., Jones, Peter, Buss, Tim, Rada, Cristina, Winter, Gregory, Willson, Richard
Title: In memoriam: Jefferson Foote
Reference MABS 12 January 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Obituary
Subject: In a scientific career that spanned over three decades, Dr. Jeff Foote made seminal contributions to antibody humanization and the biophysical aspects of antibody recognition. In this Perspective, we discuss his life and work.
Keywords: Jefferson (Jeff) Foote; immunochemistry; antibody humanization; Greg Winter; Cesar Milstein; fluorometers; Macintosh (“Mac”); antibody engineering; CDR grafting; therapeutic; Campath-1; “conformational isomerism”; Perspective; Arrowsmith Technologies
Photographs: Jeff Foote with his Mac at the LMB.Author: Cookson, Clive
Title: ‘Mini-brains’ research brings neural development breakthrough
Reference Financial Times 24 March 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Madeline Lancaster leads a team that have identified a key genetic switch that ensures humans develop much bigger brains than apes, an important step in the scientific understanding of neural development.
Keywords: Madeline Lancaster; mini-brains; cerebral organoids; apes; ZEB2; chimpanzee; neurons; human brain; radial glia; genetic switch; progenitor cells
Photographs: Human, left, and chimpanzee mini-brains at five weeks oldAuthor: Sample, Ian
Title: Scientists discover why the human brain is so big
Reference The Guardian 24 March 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Madeline Lancaster’s group have shed light on the why humans develop much bigger brains than apes, an important step in the scientific understanding of neural development.
Keywords: Madeline Lancaster; large brains; “brain organoids”; apes; ZEB2; human; chimp; progenitor cells; neural; switch
Photographs:Author: Blakely, Rhys
Title: Lab grows small brains to answer the big question
Reference The Times 25 March 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Madeline Lancaster’s group have shed light on the why humans develop much bigger brains than apes, an important step in the scientific understanding of neural development.
Keywords: Madeline Lancaster; “mini-brains”; human; chimpanzee; stem cell; ZEB2; organoids; neurons; progenitor cells; apes
Photographs: Madeline with her group; image of human organoidAuthor: Brackley, Paul
Title: Winners of Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards revealed
Reference Cambridge Independent 23 April 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Awards & Prizes
Subject: The LMB has received a Special Commendation in the category of Covid-19 Response Award, in the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards
Keywords: Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards; Covid-19 Respose Award; special commendation; Zunlong Ke; John Briggs
Photographs:Author: Shahbazi, Marta N.
Title: Defining myself as a mother scientist
Reference Cell Stem Cell 6 May 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Career Structure
Subject: As part of a series covering how researchers have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Science Direct have featured Marta Shahbazi and her experience of juggling being a new group leader and a new mother during lockdown.
Keywords: Marta Shahbazi; COVID-19; mother; coronavirus pandemic; double life; Group Leader
Photographs: Marta in the lab (MRC LMB)Author: O’Toole, Peter
Title: The Microscopists podcast with Richard Henderson
Reference BiteSize Bio, The Microscopists 10 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: History - Reminiscences
Subject: Richard Henderson is a guest on The Microscopists podcast from Bitesize Bio. Here he chats with Peter O’Toole about a range of topics including; the fundamental importance of understanding protein structures, what attracted him to biophysics and his motorbike adventures in Scotland
Keywords: Richard Henderson; podcast; electron microscopy; Joachim Frank; Jacques Dubochet; Fred Sanger; Max Perutz; Malcolm Weir; Heptares; vaccines; coronavirus; old clocks; radio; fixing; Brian Hartley; Paul Emsley; Twitter; Facebook; Breaking Bad; Hitchcock; electromicroscopy; Ada Yonath; Michael Rossmann; Cryo EM
Photographs:Author: Marti Solano, Maria
Title: Young Scientist at #LINO70: Maria Marti Solano - On the Way to a More Personalised Medicine
Reference Blog - Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 23 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Postdoc Maria Marti Solano, Structural Studies Division, discusses her research into whether genetic or patient-specific factors impact receptor function and can explain varying responses to drugs. She also addresses how she has adapted to continue her research from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Maria Marti Solano; G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR); computational methods; pandemic; corona; big data; #LINO70; Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Photographs: Maria in front of the buildingAuthor: UK Research and Innovation
Title: STFC technology drives more efficient cryoEM imaging
Reference UKRI News 8 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: A new Quantum C100 detector, optimised for 100 keV low-energy cryo-EM, has been developed by STFC in partnership with the Rosalind Franklin Institute and LMB
Keywords: Electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM); Science and Technology Facilities (STFC); Rosalind Franklin Institute; Quantum Detectors; low energy; Richard Henderson; Chris Russo; collaboration; democratisation of cryoEM technology
Photographs:Author: UK Research and Innovation
Title: 101 jobs that change the world - David Street
Reference UKRI 12 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Career Structure
Subject: Highlighting non-traditional jobs which support research and innovation, UKRI have profiled David Street, a member of the LMB’s Estates and Facilities team
Keywords: David Street; Estates and Facilities; Electrical Engineer; career; ‘behind the scenes’; tours; Arts and Crafts Show; change the world
Photographs: David in interstitial level of building (MRC LMB)Author: Kießling, Tilmann
Title: Family values - Learn about newly elected EMBO Member Alex Bateman and his work on protein families
Reference EMBO 9 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Awards & Prizes
Subject: Alex Bateman, a former PhD student in Cyrus Chothia’s group in the Structural Studies Division, has been elected a member of EMBO for his work on protein families
Keywords: Alex Bateman; EMBO Member; Cyrus Chothia; protein sequences; ‘protein families’; genome; EMBL-EBI; Pfam database; UniProt: Rfam; RNAcentral; ‘periodic table’; machine learning; Hinxton; alumni
Photographs: Alex Bateman portrait photoAuthor: Eppendorf Corporate
Title: Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators
Reference Eppendorf Corporate 25 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Awards & Prizes
Subject: Tanmay Bharat has been awarded the 2021 Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators for his research on the structure and function of protective layers surrounding prokaryotic cells
Keywords: Tanmay Bharat; Award; Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators; prokaryotic cells; alumni; antibiotics; prize; filamentous phages; pathogenic bacteria
Photographs: Tanmay Bharat in officeAuthor: Pálfy, Máté
Title: Cell scientist to watch - Alexey Amunts
Reference Journal of Cell Science 1 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Career Structure
Subject: Alexey Amunts shares insights into his career to date, including his time at the LMB in Venki Ramakrishnan’s lab, the importance of open science and collaboration, in an interview with the Journal of Cell Science.
Keywords: Alexey Amunts; Venki Ramakrishnan; cryo-EM; alumni; career; collaboration; Israeli army; Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab); ribosomes
Photographs: Alexey Amunts portrait photo; Alexey with his lab groupAuthor: European Research Council
Title: Maria Leptin
Reference European Research Council 2 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Awards & Prizes
Subject: Maria Leptin is the new President of the European Research Council. Since her postdoc position in Michael Wilcox’s group at the LMB, Maria has been a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, led a research group at EMBL and served as Director of EMBO
Keywords: Maria Leptin; President; European Research Council; Michael Wilcox; EMBO; alumni
Photographs: Maria Leptin portrait photoAuthor: Flinders Foundation
Title: Mary Overton Fellowship: Worms the key to understanding brains
Reference Flinders Foundation 8 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Alumni - Awards & Prizes
Subject: Yee Lian Chew is the recipient of the Flinders Foundation’s Mary Overton Senior Research Fellowship in Neuroscience.
Keywords: Yee Lian Chew; Finders Foundation; Mary Overton Senior Research Fellowship; Nematodes; worm; neurons; chronic pain; neurodegenerative disorders; award; alumni
Photographs: Yee Lian Chew in labAuthor: PhysOrg
Title: First cells reprogrammed to make synthetic polymers - and virus-resistant drug manufacturers
Reference PhysOrg 3 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: A study led by the LMB has developed the first cells that can construct artificial polymers from building blocks that are not found in nature, by following instructions the researchers encoded in their genes.
Keywords: synthetic genome; bacteria; viruses; polymer; amino acids; Escherichia coli (E.coli); Jason Chin; codons; antibiotics; tRNAs; macrocycles; drugs; genetic code; sequence; monomers
Photographs:Author: Cookson, Clive
Title: Genetic code breakthrough opens door to advanced materials
Reference Financial Times 4 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: A project led by Jason Chin has re-engineered the genetic code of microbes to create a synthetic cell with capabilities unlike anything in nature, opening up the possibility of new materials for everything from plastics to antibiotics.
Keywords: Jason Chin; genetic code; microbes; synthetic cell; antibiotics; amino acids; E. coli; “codons”; monomers; “non-natural building blocks”; viruses; Syn61 bacterium; biodegradable plastics
Photographs: Jason Chin portrait image (MRC-LMB)Author: Highfield, Roger
Title: Next generation GM using synthetic bacteria paves way for materials revolution
Reference Science Museum Blog 4 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Jason Chin team have found a way to create a synthetic bacterium to make proteins composed of novel amino acids, designed by scientists, that lie beyond the canonical 20 found in nature.
Keywords: Jason Chin; amino acids; synthetic bacterium; viruses; E. coli; genetic code; codon; Syn61; polymers; monomers; antibiotics; macrocycles; biodegradable plastics
Photographs: Team working in the lab (MRC LMB); Jason Chin talking to Roger Highfield at the Science MusuemAuthor: Cambridge Independent
Title: Dr Wasi Faruqi’s structural biology work at the LMB recognised
Reference Cambridge Independent 16-22 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Awards & Prizes
Subject: Wasi Faruqi Is awarded an MBE for services to medical research in the Queen’s Birthday honours.
Keywords: Abdul (Wasi) Faruqi; Queen’s Birthday honours; MBE; cryoEM; Richard Henderson; X-ray crystallography; award
Photographs: Wasi Faruqi in his office (MRC LMB)Author: Brackley, Paul
Title: First synthetic cells that could make drugs created at LMB
Reference Cambridge Independent 9-15 June 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Science
Subject: Scientists at the LMB have programmed bacteria to act like renewable and programmable factories, with the potential to create antibodies or biodegradable plastics
Keywords: Jason Chin; antibiotics; biodegradable plastics; synthetic genome; polymers; building blocks; monomers; bacteria; viruses; E. coli; codon; amino acids; macrocycles; genetic code; Daniel de la Torre; Wesley Robertson; Louise Funke; Julius Fredens
Photographs: Jason Chin in lab (MRC LMB); Team in Lab; Reprogrammed bacteria growing on a plate (MRC LMB)Author: Winter, Greg
Title: Sir Dai Rees obituary
Reference The Guardian 25 July 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Obituary
Subject: Sir Dai Rees who revolutionised the way the Medical Research Council (MRC) interacted with industry has died. Sir Greg Winter looks back on his life and career.
Keywords: Dai Rees; Keytruda antibody Humira; polysaccharide chemist; polymers; Unilever; Mr Whippy ice cream; LifeArc; MRC Collaborative Centre; NIMR; Centre for Protein Engineering; Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT)
Photographs: Sir Dai Rees portrait image