Fragment based drug discovery against cytochrome P450s from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
We are using fragment-based approaches to understand of the role of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. CYPs are mon-oxygenases responsible for a range of oxidative modifications. M. tuberculosis has a relatively high number of CYPs, some of which are essential, and some of which are of unknown function.
We have a long term interest in the enzymology of Coenzyme A, both the pathway up to pantothenate (vitamin B5) (present in plants, microorganisms and fungi) and the pathway from pantothenate to Coenzyme A (present in all cells). We have a specific interest in targeting the coenzyme A pathway enzymes (CoaBC, CoaD, CoaE) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Antibiotics for bacteria infections in cystic fibrosis
We are interested in using fragment based approaches to develop novel antibiotics for two multi-drug resistant bacterial infections affecting people with Cystic Fibrosis. We are interested in targeting enzymes from Mycobacterium abscessus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
We develop microfluidic microdroplet reactors for applications in biology and material sciences. Experiments are carried out in small water droplets, separated from each other by a continuous oil phase, within a microfluidic channel. We develop devices to generate and manipulate the droplets, and develop new analytical approaches to follow what is happening, on a very small scale, inside the droplets.