CMB Research

The Centre encompasses three overall research programmes targeted in the long term towards the development of novel therapeutics for:

• Infectious diseases 
• Age-related diseases (cataract, neurodegenerative disease)
• Cancer

The development of resistance to current drugs by pathogenic micro-organisms is a very serious problem world wide. We are trying to tackle it using both bio- and chemo-rational approaches. New ways to overcome bacterial resistance to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort, are being investigated.  Fundamental studies of mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis are also being actively pursued.

Basic research is being done on cataract formation in the eye leading to an increased understanding of this disease at the molecular level as a prelude to rational therapeutic design.

Chaperone proteins found in human blood, their structure and function are also actively being pursued. Clusterin, haptoglobin and alpha 2 macroglobulin are of major interest.

Novel approaches to tackling cancer, including ways to induce apoptosis, are under very active study.

Mass spectrometry studies are providing new insights in to a variety of molecular and biomolecular interactions. 

For further details about CMB research, consult the web pages of the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Chemistry.