Professor Xiaodong Zhang's research programme focuses on unravelling the mechanisms of macromolecular machines using a range of structural biology techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. She is particularly interested in large macromolecular assemblies involved in DNA processing, as well as the AAA (ATPase Associated with diverse cellular Activities) protein family. At present, her research focuses on three main areas: key components in DNA damage response, transcriptional regulation in bacteria, structure and mechanism of multifunctional p97
Bilge is an MSCA research fellow investigating the molecular mechanisms of recombinational DNA repair. During his PhD at the University of Sussex (2011-2016), Bilge employed genetics and cell biology to study meiosis. He then moved to the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan as a postdoctoral researcher to investigate the mechanisms of recombinational DNA repair through biochemical and genetic approaches (2016-2021). He is now combining biochemical reconstitutions with structural analyses to elucidate how Rad51 is regulated at the molecular level. Twitter
Alex is a PhD student within the Zhang group. I completed my MSci at University College London, examining the effect of changes to the cytoskeleton in cancer migration and metastasis. I am currently working on proteins involved in DNA damage repair, specifically those involved in homologous recombination, and how mutations in these key proteins can cause cancer development.
PhD student investigating the mechanisms of transcription activation by bacterial enhancer binding proteins in RNA polymerase-σ54 transcription initiation complexes.
The goal of Forson’s project is to understand how interactions between bEBPs, σ54, RNAP and DNA during the ATP hydrolysis cycle facilitates transcription initiation. To do this, we use time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy and a range of biochemical approaches. This work could be used in the future to inform the design of novel antibiotics.
Lucas is a Post-doctoral research associate. Lucas uses cryo-EM to study the structure of BRCA2.
Research Technician
Stephanie is a PhD student using biochemical and structural approaches to gain mechanistic insights into the tumour suppressor protein BRCA1.
Megan Battley
Research Technician.
A post-doctoral research associate and faculty research fellow (July 2018) in the Zhang lab. I completed my D.Phil in Clinical Medicine at Oxford University (Merton College), but my research career has predominantly focused on investigating protein function using structural biology as a means to provide a mechanistic understanding in life and in disease.
Twitter: @yates_luke
Bowen is currently a PhD student under Zhang’s lab and my project is on using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM to elucidate the role of different enhancer binding proteins in bacterial transcription regulation, which could potentially resolve novel drug target against various pathogens.”
Jie Zhang
Jie used to work on influenza A viruses to understand the influence of virus evolution on its binding property using X-ray crystallography and bio-layer interferometry when she did her PhD in Francis Crick Institute. Currently, her projects mainly focus on studying BRCA2 and Tel1 related protein-protein interactions involved in DNA damage response pathway, using Cryo-EM and other biophysics methods.