MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
One of the world's leading research institutes, our scientists are working to advance understanding of biological processes at the molecular level - providing the knowledge needed to solve key problems in human health.
Alessandra Stangherlin (O’Neill group) found a cellular mechanism that facilitates daily changes in heart rate. ~24h rhythms in Na/K/Cl levels osmotically compensate for daily changes in macromolecular crowding to modulate cardiac electrical activity, in vitro and in vivo.
Tau structures from range of neurological diseases revealed through cryo-EM analysis suggests a new way to characterise tauopathies on the basis of filament folds.
Sean Munro’s group, in collaboration with Leo James’ group, have determined how the tail of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 allows the virus to travel beyond the Golgi in order to reach the cell surface and direct fusion to neighbouring cells to form syncytia.
Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of over 30,000 suprachiasmatic nucleus cells by Michael Hastings’ group in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division has identified specific cell populations and highlighted the role of Prokineticinsignalling network to the body’s circadian rhythm.
Many proteins in cells assemble into complex structures formed of multiple parts, often resulting in excess parts which are unusable. Now, Manu Hegde’s group have discovered a new pathway that degrades leftover components. Disruption of this pathway leads to neurodegeneration.
John Briggs’ group has provided the first description of HIV-1 matrix protein structures determined within both immature and mature authentic virus particles, showing how they rearrange on maturation of the virus ahead of infection of another cell.