{"id":94,"date":"2022-01-18T01:48:19","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T01:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/?post_type=research_theme&p=94"},"modified":"2022-02-25T13:58:05","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T13:58:05","slug":"biophysics","status":"publish","type":"research_theme","link":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/research-theme\/biophysics\/","title":{"rendered":"Biophysics"},"content":{"rendered":"

BSRC biophysicists study the fundamental molecular structures and interactions that underpin life. Their research spans the structure and molecular mechanism of enzyme function, the interactions between proteins in health and disease, and the mechanics of cell movement.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BSRC biophysicists study the fundamental molecular structures and interactions that underpin life. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":131,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-94","research_theme","type-research_theme","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"related_groups":[{"group_members":"Elena Mocanu<\/span>\r\nHannah Russell<\/span>","publications":"[publications flag='individual' code='jel20' dois='1' max='10' categorise='1']","research_projects":"The research projects of the group are broadly based around developing EPR and spin labelling techniques (with a view to flexibility and sensitivity) and applying them to proteins such as calmodulin and nucleic acids like RNA.<\/span>","related_theme":[94],"related_centre":77,"contact":"jel20@st-andrews.ac.uk<\/span>\r\nhttps:\/\/www.st-andrews.ac.uk\/~jel20\/<\/span>","ID":212,"post_title":"Lovett","post_content":"The group works on applying and developing EPR spectroscopy for studying the structure of proteins and nucleic acids. The technique uses magnetic resonance to measure the interaction between unpaired electrons and analysis reveals nanometre distances and distance distributions. The method requires that proteins and nucleic acids are tagged with the unpaired electrons.<\/span>","post_excerpt":"The group works on applying and developing EPR spectroscopy for studying the structure of proteins and nucleic acids. The technique uses magnetic resonance to measure the interaction between unpaired electrons and analysis reveals nanometre distances and distance distributions. The method requires that proteins and nucleic acids are tagged with the unpaired electrons.","post_author":"75","post_date":"2022-12-01 09:46:16","post_date_gmt":"2022-12-01 09:46:16","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lovett","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-12-21 10:26:00","post_modified_gmt":"2022-12-21 10:26:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/?post_type=research_group&p=212","menu_order":0,"post_type":"research_group","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","comments":false,"_thumbnail_id":["213","4","2022-12-01 09:46:04","2022-12-01 09:46:04","","12423037-5335-4B4C-BB9E-96F1B2659F55_Janet Lovett","","inherit","open","closed","","12423037-5335-4b4c-bb9e-96f1b2659f55_janet-lovett","","","2022-12-01 09:46:04","2022-12-01 09:46:04","","212","https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2022\/12\/12423037-5335-4B4C-BB9E-96F1B2659F55_Janet-Lovett.jpeg","0","attachment","image\/jpeg","0","213"],"id":212},{"group_members":"Dr Katrin Ackermann<\/span>\r\nLaura Remmel<\/span>","publications":"[publications flag='individual' code='beb2' dois='1' max='10' categorise='1']","research_projects":"

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
Supramolecular structure predictions validated from sparse experimental data (EPSRC funded)<\/div>\r\n
We are working on various projects contributing long range structural constraints and data on binding affinities to integrative models of biomolecular structure and dynamics underpinning function.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","related_theme":[94,200],"related_centre":77,"contact":"beb2@st-andrews.ac.uk<\/span>\r\n\r\nOffice 153<\/span>\r\nPurdie Building<\/span>\r\nNorth Haugh<\/span>\r\nSt Andrews<\/span>\r\nUnited Kingdom<\/span>","ID":242,"post_title":"Bela Bode","post_content":"The group's research focusses on using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to study the microscopic structure and dynamics of (bio)molecules and materials.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhen investigating (bio)molecular structures we often find that the methods available have not been proven to be reliably applicable under the specific circumstances of a given research question. The group embraces the challenge of adapting and implementing EPR methodology to obtain the maximum information content. The ultimate vision is a general approach to determine macromolecular complex structures from EPR data through both long-range interactions between spins and their interactions with their surrounding probing the local chemical environment.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, EPR detects the magnetism arising from the \u201cspin\u201d, a quantum mechanical property of unpaired electrons. Although electrons are contained in all matter, they are commonly paired, quenching their magnetism. However, some molecules and materials, such as radicals and paramagnetic metal ions, exhibit unpaired electrons. Using EPR, it is possible to study the unpaired electron and its surrounding through its magnetic spin measuring distances on the nanometre (one billionth of a metre) scale. Over the past 15 years, these distance measurements have developed into an important and powerful method for investigating the nanoworld of large (bio)molecules.<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/chemistry.st-andrews.ac.uk\/staff\/beb\/group\/index.php<\/span><\/a>","post_excerpt":"The group's research focusses on using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to study the microscopic structure and dynamics of (bio)molecules and materials.","post_author":"85","post_date":"2022-12-12 16:12:20","post_date_gmt":"2022-12-12 16:12:20","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"bela-bode","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-12-21 10:16:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-12-21 10:16:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/?post_type=research_group&p=242","menu_order":0,"post_type":"research_group","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","comments":false,"_thumbnail_id":["243","4","2022-12-12 16:12:12","2022-12-12 16:12:12","","Bela Bode_Bela Bode","","inherit","open","closed","","bela-bode_bela-bode","","","2022-12-12 16:12:12","2022-12-12 16:12:12","","242","https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2022\/12\/Bela-Bode_Bela-Bode.jpg","0","attachment","image\/jpeg","0","243"],"id":242},{"group_members":"Dr Remi Fritzen; Research Fellow<\/span>\r\nDongmei Wu; PhD student<\/span>\r\nJordan Marsh; PhD student<\/span>\r\nStephen Hierons; PhD student<\/span>\r\nHasnain Ahmed; PhD student<\/span>\r\nAmy Davies; Visiting Scholar<\/span>","publications":"[publications flag='individual' code='ajs21' dois='1' max='10' categorise='1']","research_projects":"Bilateral BBSRC-FAPESP: A \"speciomic\" toolkit to investigate fatty acid-mediated changes in plasma zinc speciation and their physiological effects.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTenovus Scotland: Assessment of the predictive value of plasma proteins in oesophageal adenocarcinoma treatment<\/span>\r\n\r\nBritish Heart Foundation: Plasma non-esterified fatty acids and fibrin clot formation in obesity \u2013 a relationship forged in zinc?<\/span>\r\n\r\nBritish Heart Foundation: Role of plasma fatty acid and zinc dynamics in platelet functioning: Implications for pathological clotting<\/span>","related_theme":[94,95,119,202],"related_centre":77,"contact":"Dr Alan J. Stewart PhD FRSB FRSC<\/span>\r\nReader in Molecular Medicine<\/span>\r\nSchool of Medicine<\/span>\r\nMedical and Biological Sciences Building<\/span>\r\nUniversity of St Andrews<\/span>\r\nSt Andrews<\/span>\r\nFife, KY16 9TF<\/span>\r\nUnited Kingdom<\/span>\r\n\r\nE-mail: ajs21@st-andrews.ac.uk<\/span>\r\nTel: +44 (0)1334 463546<\/span>","ID":263,"post_title":"Alan Stewart Group - Metal ions in Medicine","post_content":"Our work is centred on how metal ions, such as Zn2+, Ca2+ and Co2+ are transported through the blood and how their mishandling can lead to disease. A key part of my group\u2019s activity is the study of their interactions with circulatory proteins. At a cell and systems level, we are interested in how these interactions have a functional impact. We commonly utilise methods that examine the movement of Zn2+ and Ca2+ ions within cells and across membranes or measure their direct physiological functional outputs (e.g. coagulatory processes). Over the last few years, we have also worked closely with colleagues across the North Haugh particularly, the Mass Spectrometry Facility in St Andrews in the utilisation of quantitative proteomics clinical studies.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlease visit our group website: https:\/\/metalion.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"Effects of fatty acid binding at the FA2 site on the primary zinc site of human serum albumin. (A) Structure of HSA with 5 molecules of myristate bound (PDB: 1BJ5). (B) Overlay of the main zinc-binding site in the myristate-bound structure (in green; PDB: 1BJ5) and the zinc-bound structure (in blue; PDB: 5IJF). A structural change is induced by fatty acid binding. This triggers the zinc-coordinating residue His67 to move 8 \u00c5 away from the other two coordinating side chains. Figure taken from Sobczak et al. (2021) Chem. Sci. <\/i>12: 4079-4093.","post_excerpt":"Our work is centred on how metal ions, such as Zn2+, Ca2+ and Co2+ are transported through the blood and how their mishandling can lead to disease.","post_author":"4","post_date":"2022-12-21 13:28:36","post_date_gmt":"2022-12-21 13:28:36","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"alan-stewart-group-metal-ions-in-medicine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-12-21 13:30:07","post_modified_gmt":"2022-12-21 13:30:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/?post_type=research_group&p=263","menu_order":0,"post_type":"research_group","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","comments":false,"_thumbnail_id":["264","4","2022-12-21 13:27:11","2022-12-21 13:27:11","","Picture1","","inherit","open","closed","","picture1","","","2022-12-21 13:27:11","2022-12-21 13:27:11","","263","https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2022\/12\/Picture1.png","0","attachment","image\/png","0","264"],"id":263}],"related_centre":[{"ID":77,"post_title":"Biomedical Sciences Research Complex","post_content":"The\u00a0Biomedical Sciences Research Complex (BSRC) is an interdisciplinary centre for biomedical research with contributions from the Schools of Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics and Astronomy.\u00a0The BSRC's main research themes are infection and immunity, biophysics, molecular medicine, and chemical biology.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nMain Website<\/a>","post_excerpt":"","post_author":"4","post_date":"2022-01-17 15:53:50","post_date_gmt":"2022-01-17 15:53:50","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"biomedical-sciences-research-complex","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-20 13:31:47","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-20 12:31:47","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/?post_type=research_centre&p=77","menu_order":0,"post_type":"research_centre","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","comments":false,"id":77}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research_theme\/94","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research_theme"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/research_theme"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biology.st-andrews.ac.uk\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}