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.
During the development of an organism, whether it be a worm, fly, dog or human being, the early embryo must build different structures which will later become the body’s organs. Many structures within an organism are tubular: the veins and arteries; the gut; as well as the kidneys and lungs.
Research carried out by Eeson Rajendra from Lori Passmore’s group in the LMB’s Structural Studies Division, in close collaboration with KJ Patel from the LMB’s PNAC Division, has brought together LMB expertise in protein biochemistry and genetics to study the disease Fanconi Anaemia (FA). For the first time, they have isolated the intact FA core complex, and demonstrated which subunits are essential for monoubiquitination of FANCD2, which initiates the repair of damaged DNA in cells.
A collaboration between Roger Williams’ group here in the LMB’s Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Division and Kevan Shokat’s group at the University of California, San Francisco has provided insight into potential targets for the design of a new class of anti-viral drugs.
Enteroviruses cause diseases including polio; hand, foot and mouth disease and the common cold, and there are currently no anti-viral treatments available to combat them.
Lori Passmore and Chris Russo from the LMB’s Structural Studies Division have discovered how to modify the new material graphene using low-energy hydrogen plasmas, to allow it to bind proteins. This discovery makes it suitable for use in electron microscopy to solve protein structures.
Graphene, which was only discovered in 2004, is a two-dimensional carbon sheet that is one of the strongest and thinnest materials known.
Research undertaken by Jason Chin’s group, in the LMB’s Centre for Chemical and Synthetic Biology (CCSB), part of the Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Division, has successfully developed a novel and versatile technique to identify proteins produced in a particular set of cells at a particular time.
Individual sets of cells in the body of an animal are specialised to do different things.
Harish Chandra Soundararajan and Simon Bullock from the LMB’s Cell Biology Division have created a new technique for studying how dynein motors move individual mRNA molecules along microtubules, which has provided unique insights into cellular transport systems.
In order for a cell to function, its constituents have to be sorted to different locations. In many cases, this is achieved by an active intracellular transport system.