Thomas Steitz was among the foremost of the generation that was responsible for an explosion in our understanding of the structure and function of biological macromolecules. His research career was one of sustained excellence over six decades, and spanned the range from determining the structures of important metabolic enzymes to understanding the structural basis of […]
Thomas Arthur Steitz. 23 August 1940 – 9 October 2018
Atomic structures of Aβ42 filaments from the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions
Collaboration between Sjors Scheres’ (Structural Studies), Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon’s and Michel Goedert’s (both Neurobiology) groups have used cryo-EM to reveal structures of Aβ42 filaments, the key factor behind the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Wasi Faruqi reminisces on his scientific career in Cambridge
Wasi Faruqi joined the LMB in 1969 where he has since remained as an integral contributor to the lab’s Structural Studies Division. In 2021 Wasi’s work on the development of electron microscopy was honoured by an MBE. Here Wasi reflects on his scientific career and his engagement with Clare Hall as a Life Member. More…
Michael Webster joins the John Innes Centre as a Group Leader
Michael Webster shares insights into his research, scientific interests and career so far as he joins the John Innes Centre as a Group Leader. Michael completed his PhD and first postdoc in Lori Passmore’s group in the LMB’s Structural Studies Division. He was drawn to the LMB for its historical importance in the determination of […]
Donald Caspar 1927 – 2021
Don Caspar, LMB alumnus, has died at the age of 94. Don first came to the MRC Unit for the Study of the Molecular Structure of Biological Systems (now the LMB) as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 1955. He would become a frequent scientific worker at the Lab over the next 20 years and remained a […]
Double spiral structure is unique to TDP-43 filament behind ALS and FTD neurodegenerative diseases
A recent paper from Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon’s group reveals the first atomic structure of TDP-43 filaments from the brains of people with ALS and FTD diseases. The discovered structure possesses a unique double-spiral fold at its core, differentiating it from all other amyloidogenic proteins observed so far. More…