Our paper on domain formation in peroxidized lipid membranes is in the news!

Recently our paper in which we collaborated with Marina Kuimova’s group and others to investigate the domain formation of peroxidized lipid membranes (Directly imaging emergence of phase separation in peroxidized lipid membraes, Miguel Paez-Perez, Aurimas Vyšniauskas, Ismael López-Duarte, Eulalie J. Lafarge, Raquel López-Ríos De Castro, Carlos M. Marques, André P. …

New Paper: “Modular software for generating and modelling diverse polymer databases”

Machine learning has the potential to revolutionize the design of new functional materials, but building the large and diverse databases of molecules required for training these methods remains a challenge. Automated computational chemistry workflows have become an essential tool in this data-driven search for new materials with novel properties, providing …

New Paper: “Directly imaging emergence of phase separation in peroxidized lipid membranes”

Lipid peroxidation is a critical process in cell signaling and disease, and has been exploited in cancer therapy through photodynamic therapy. The presence of hydrophilic moieties in the bilayer’s hydrocarbon core can dramatically alter the structure and mechanical behavior of membranes. In collaboration with Marina Kuimova’s group at Imperial College …

New Paper: “Structural model of a Porphyromonas gingivalis type IX secretion system shuttle complex”

In our latest publication, we present a structural model of a PorV:RgpB-CTD complex from Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis).  P. gingivalis is a gram-negative oral anaerobic pathogen and is one of the key causative agents of periodontitis. P. gingivalis utilises a range of virulence factors, including the cysteine protease RgpB, to …

New Paper: “Conformational Heterogeneity and Interchain Percolation Revealed in an Amorphous Conjugated Polymer”

In this manuscript,  we provide new fundamental insights into the nanoscale structure of an archetypal donor-acceptor conjugated polymer, poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole (F8BT). F8BT is a widely-studied conjugated polymer, which is used in a variety of different application areas due to its bright fluorescence and biocompatibility, usually in the form of conjugated polymer …

New Paper: “The Effects of Cholesterol Oxidation on Erythrocyte Plasma Membranes: A Monolayer Study”

Cholesterol plays a key role in the molecular and mesoscopic organisation of lipid membranes and it is expected that changes in its molecular structure (e.g., through environmental factors such as oxidative stress) may affect adversely membrane properties and function. In this study, we present evidence that oxidation of cholesterol has …

New Paper: “On the interactions of diols and DMPC monolayers”

The effect that solvents and co-solvents have on the structural and dynamic properties of lipid molecules in self-assembled structures is of significant interest for a variety of applications ranging from drug delivery and personal care formulations to cryopreservation. In this manuscript, we elucidate the underlying molecular scale mechanisms which lead …

New Paper: “Temporin B forms hetero-oligomers with temporin L, modifies its membrane activity, and increases the cooperativity of Its antibacterial pharmacodynamic profile”

In our most recent paper in collaboration with James Mason, David Phoenix & J. Mark Sutton, we have carried out a multi-disciplinary investigation of the synergistic effects of the antimicrobial peptides, temporin B & temporin L. The temporins comprise a very well-studied family of AMPs that now number more than …

New Paper: “NSAID solubilisation promotes morphological transitions in Triton X-114 surfactant micelles”

In this manuscript, we identify the underlying molecular scale mechanisms that drive the solubilisation of two different small molecule drugs within Triton X-114 surfactant micelles, and how the solubilisation affects the structural properties of the micelles. Specifically, we have investigated the solubilisation of the sodium salts of two different nonsteroidal …

New Paper: “Impact of drug aggregation on the structural and dynamic properties of Triton X-100 micelles”

In this work, we elucidate the underlying molecular scale mechanisms which drive the encapsulation of two different small molecule drugs within Triton X-100 surfactant micelles, and how the encapsulation effects the structural properties of the micelles. Specifically, we have investigated the encapsulation of two different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen …