Seminars
Wednesday 19th September 2007
(PP1, Mile End)
Programme:
- 5-5.20pm "Proteins, bioinformatics and drug discovery". By Prof Richard Pickersgill
- 5.20-5.30pm Discussion
- 5.30-5.50pm “Small animal Imaging in the Institute of Cancer”. By Prof Stephen Mather.
- 5.50-6pm Discussion
- 6-7pm Refreshments in the PP Foyer
Speakers:
Professor Richard Pickersgill - Professor of Structural Biology. Biological and Chemical Sciences
Our major research programme addresses the structure and activity of proteins. We combine the ideas and methods of molecular, mechanistic, and structural biology to elucidate the molecular basis of protein activity. Our principal structural method is protein crystallography. We also use DNA cloning and protein over-expression to produce proteins; and directed mutagenesis, spectroscopy and thermodynamic measurements to understand the biological and chemical significance of our structural results.
Current major research themes include: understanding the specificity and mechanism of enzymes; and structural studies of proteins from the human pathogen Shigella flexneri.
In the first research theme we are elucidating structure, mechanism, specificity and evolution in the following enzymes: the remarkable pectin lyase superfamily (the b -helix enzymes and also the type II secretion system that secretes these exo-proteins); the diverse cupin superfamily (germin/oxalate oxidase the superfamily archetype and the related protein ABP1); and selected enzymes from the most complex biosynthetic pathway, that of cobalamin biosynthesis (methyltransferases, chelatases, and cobalt reductase).
In the research second theme we are working to elucidate the molecular basis of Shigella flexneri infection by producing individual proteins and protein effectors in complex with their chaperones and with their cognate human receptors.
Email:r.w.pickersgill@qmul.ac.uk
Professor Stephen Mather, Professor of Radiopharmacy - Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Cancer
Professor Mather heads both the Centre for Cancer Imaging and the Nuclear Medicine group within it. The Nuclear Medicine Research Laboratory, funded by Cancer Research UK, was established by Steve Mather and is the most well-equipped, academic, radiopharmaceutical, research facility in the UK and is among the best in the world. His research group is concerned with all aspects of radiopharmaceutical development.
Resources are devoted to the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and treating disease. The laboratory has a particular interest in the application of radiopharmaceuticals based on naturally occuring molecules such as peptides, proteins, oligosaccharides and polynucleic acids. Recent R&D programmes have been concerned with developing radiolabelling methods and analytical programmes for monoclonal antibodies, their fragments and genetically engineered analogues, cytokines, in particular IL-2 and IL-12, neuropeptide hormone analogues of somatostatin, gastrin and bombesin and antisense oligonucleotides.
The Centre is also involved in the provision of research radiopharmaceuticals to St Bartholomew's Hospital and other hospitals in the UK for use in small scale clinical trials. These radiopharmaceuticals may have arisen from research programmes carried out within the unit or as a result of industrial collaborations. An important aspect of this work is compliance with the many regulations controlling the human use of radioactive pharmaceuticals.
Email: stephen.mather@cancer.org.uk
