Peptide Therapeutics

Our group is focused on designing and evaluating novel inhibitors of therapeutically significant protein targets.

Many of these inhibitors are peptides, some of which are designed on the basis of three-dimensional structural information, while others are based on naturally-occurring peptides discovered in venomous animals. These include venomous marine organisms such as sea anemones and cone snails, from which we identify new peptides for structural and functional characterisation. Some of these peptides may be the basis for new drugs or environmentally friendly bioinsecticides.

We use a range of techniques to achieve these goals, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (shown below), X-ray crystallography, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), mass spectrometry, peptide synthesis, medicinal chemistry and high-resolution imaging. We also make extensive use of molecular modelling and design.