Molecular and Cellular Biology Research Group

Themes

• Health, Wellbeing and Education

Summary

Molecular and Cellular Biology is at the core of understanding fundamental biological processes. We use our expertise in biochemistry, genetics, molecular and cell biology, immunology, microbiology, systems biology and bioinformatics to characterise molecular and cellular functions and signalling.

Researching the functions of molecules and cells is crucial for our understanding of biology at its fundamental level. It allows for the development of new knowledge of gene inheritance, protein function, cellular behaviour and metabolic control to tackle disease treatment and biotechnological applications. Researchers in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Research Group are investigating the role of molecules in a range of cells and organisms, with special focus on mitochondrial functions, exosomes and microvesicles in cellular signalling, membrane transporters in prokaryotes, developing microbes for food and biotechnology applications, host-microbiome interactions, space biology and ageing.

Individual areas of expertise are as follows:

• Dr Gavin McStay - mitochondrial biology, programmed cell death

• Dr Arthur Hosie - molecular microbiology; solute transporters

• Dr Sarah Williams - immunology, exosomes and cellular interactions

• Dr Ahmad Haidery - microvesicles in health and disease

• Trust Diya - lipidomics and nutrition

• Dr Samina Naseeb - yeast genetics and biotechnology, synthetic biology

• Dr Chloe Heys - molecular microbiology, gut microbiomes, host-microbe interactions

• Dr Willian da Silveira - transcriptomics (bioinformatics, systems biology, space biology ageing)

• Dr Rebecca Shears - parasitology, vaccines, pollution and pneumococcus