GPCR EcoPharmacology
Decoding GPCRs in a Drugged and Polluted World
Where therapeutic innovation meets environmental disruption
Our cells are in constant conversation with the world around them - a dialogue mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
These molecular "switches" govern critical physiological processes from heartbeat to cognition and are modern medicine's most widely targeted protein family.
At the GPCR EcoPharmacology Lab, we decode this signalling landscape through two intersecting lenses:
Drug discovery: We design next-generation therapeutics for stroke, dementia, and other cardio-neurovascular disorders by engineering allosteric and biased ligands that fine-tune GPCR activity with greater precision and fewer side effects.
Environmental toxicology: We investigate how microplastics, nanoplastics, and plastic-derived pollutants (e.g. BPA, phthalates) act as unintended GPCR modulators - hijacking receptor signalling and contributing to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
By integrating molecular pharmacology, molecular modelling (docking, molecular dynamics, virtual screening), high-throughput screening, and artificial intelligence, we have built a GPCR-targeted drug discovery platform that doubles as a powerful tool for decoding environmental toxicology. This unified approach enables us to uncover new regulatory mechanisms and translate them into therapeutic blueprints, creating a virtuous cycle of discovery that serves both human and planetary health.
Lab head
Join us
We are committed to training the next generation of hybrid scientists - curious, cross-disciplinary thinkers who integrate pharmacology, computational modelling, and environmental health to tackle complex challenges in GPCR-targeted drug discovery.
Our lab offers a unique research environment that goes beyond traditional boundaries. We operate at a strategic intersection - where drug discovery, sustainable pharmacology, and emerging technologies converge.
This rare positioning empowers our team to:
- Explore research questions that few others can,
- Tackle health and environmental challenges from multiple scientific angles, and
- Build a new generation of scientists fluent in both wet and dry lab disciplines.
We welcome Honours, Master's, and PhD students who are passionate about working at the interface of biology, AI, and planetary health. If you're excited to make a real-world impact through interdisciplinary science, we’d love to hear from you.
