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Professor Dek Woolfson's research focuses on protein design and synthetic biology, with a special emphasis on the informational aspects of the protein-folding problem. His group investigates how sequence information determines the active three-dimensional structure of proteins and explores methods for designing entirely new proteins from scratch. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, Professor Woolfson employs bioinformatics to derive sequence-to-structure relationships from large databases, testing these relationships to develop rules for protein folding. His methodologies include ab initio protein-structure prediction and rational protein design, where he engineers natural protein structures and creates de novo designs. His lab also conducts experimental testing of engineered proteins using various biophysical methods, including circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The team explores potential applications of designed proteins in the fields of bionanotechnology and synthetic biology. Professor Woolfson supervises several research projects as part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Synthesis, dealing with innovative topics such as allostery and photocatalysis.
University of Bristol • Bristol, ENG, GB
Professor Woolfson leads research in protein design and synthetic biology.
Department of Physics research themes include Astrophysics, Materials and Devices, Particle Physics, and Quantum and Soft Matter.