The membranes that surround cells and the compartments within them play critical roles in almost all aspects of biology, ranging from the uptake of nutrients and perception of the environment to the transmission of information from one part of the organism to another. Membrane proteins account for more than 20% of those encoded by the human genome, their dysfunction is involved in a range of common diseases, and are the targets of more than half of currently-used therapeutic drugs.
Research in the Integrative Membrane Biology group therefore focusses on the structure and function of membrane proteins, and their role in human health and treating disease. Our multidisciplinary and highly collaborative environment facilitates the study of membrane protein systems from the atomic to the cellular and organismal levels. This research informs our fundamental understanding of a breadth of membrane biology, whilst also informing therapeutic development, the design of novel biosensors, the improvement of crop yields, and the development of microbial fuel cells.
