LMB In The News

Generating paired helical filaments (PHFs) in vitro presents new opportunities for Alzheimer’s research

Research spearheaded by Sofia Lövestam in Michel Goedert and Sjors Scheres’ groups has identified a combination of 12 residues in tau which, when mutated in vitro, prompt the formation of paired helical filaments (PHFs), the distinctive hallmark of advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, in the engineered tau, named PAD12, the residues in question are all outside of tau’s fibril core, found instead in the fuzzy coat. This significant breakthrough is the first successful in vitro attempt to generate PHFs which match brain-derived structures, shedding light on their formation and revealing a powerful new model for investigating tau pathology. More…

The “gargantuan effort” to recode life with just 57 codons

NewScientist speak to Wes Robertson, Group Leader in the LMB’s PNAC Division, about his work in Jason Chin’s group to synthesise E. coli using just 57 codons, rather than the usual 64. More…

LMB announced as one of 12 UK institutions selected to deliver the government’s Global Talent Fund

LMB is one of 12 of the UK’s leading universities and research institutions, across all 4 nations, selected to deliver the Global Talent Fund: a £54 million investment in Britain’s future prosperity and economic growth. More…

Alan Fersht and Wes Robertson discuss the past, present and future of protein studies

The Naked Scientists podcast covers all things protein, including speaking to Alan Fersht and Wes Robertson from the LMB’s PNAC Division. They cover how early advances at the LMB revolutionised the field of protein studies, and how protein design could be developed to address key concerns in health and the environment. More…

First patient treated for APDS, a rare inherited disorder identified by collaborative Cambridge team including Roger Williams’s group

In 2013, Roger Williams’s group in the LMB’s PNAC Division published findings from a study conducted with researchers at the University of Cambridge, the Babraham Institute and clinicians from Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Together, the team identified a rare genetic mutation which causes a condition now known as Activated PI3K-d Syndrome (APDS), which weakens the immune system and increases vulnerability to severe lung infections. Recently, Mary Catchpole received the first approved treatment for APDS, leniolisib, at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. More…

Sortera Bio has raised £7.5m pre-seed investment from AstraZeneca, BioNTech and CIC

Business Weekly reports that Sortera Bio, an LMB spinout company, has attracted backers for a £7.5m pre-seed round to power AI models for drug discovery. The round was led by Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) with participation from AstraZeneca and BioNTech. More…