From a structural biologist s point of view, they are ideal material to study the structural basis of fundamental enzymatic processes. Due to their innate physical differences to host cell enzymes of similar function and their key part in propagating viral particles, they also provide an obvious target for the rational design of antiviral therapies. The group works on the nucleotide and nucleic acid binding and modification proteins of human Herpesviruses and T-type bacteriophages, with an aim to studying the fundamental link between structure and function. Work on cellular homologues and analogues of these viral proteins, particularly in DNA repair processes, provides the remainder of the group s work. The group is actively involved in a number of collaborations with laboratories outside the School of Crystallography predominantly, though not exclusively, on structure to function relationships of nucleic acid binding proteins.
Informal enquiries concerning collaborations are welcome.
There are three alternative projects to choose from.