Our research interests centre on protein-protein interactions, particularly helical, coiled coil and amyloid-based proteins, and understanding how key interactions achieve stability and specificity. We use the Protein-fragment Complementation Assay (PCA) to screen libraries and select peptides or proteins with significant improvements in stability over wild-type interactions. Specificity of protein-protein interactions can be further improved by using a Competitive And Negative Design Initiative (CANDI) which I have developed to maximise the energy barrier between desired and non-desired protein pairs. Work currently being undertaken includes:

-Design and screening of peptide-based libraries, particularly for oncogenic transcriptional regulator proteins, to investigate the role of key residues in stability and specificity.

-Monitoring the folding of natural and designed variants of protein-protein interactions to understand how stability and specificity is manifested.

-Generating peptides to bind, reverse, and prevent amyloid fibril formation, particularly for beta-amyloid, the primary factor implicated in Alzheimers disease.

-Development of our Wellcome Trust funded game 'Cascade' - being designed in collaboration with Fayju. Cascade seeks to increase Alzheimer's disease awareness, understanding, empathy, and to highlight the desperate need for a cure.

Editorial Board Memberships:

-PLOS ONE

-Future Medicinal Chemistry

Committee Membership:

-Alzheimers Research UK Grant Review Board (2017-22).

-BBSRC Core Member for Panel D (2019-2023).

-EPSRC Peer Review College (2016-22).

-Member of the Alzheimers Research UK Network

-Member of BRACE: The Bristol and Bath Alzheimers charity

Recent Funding:

-12/2020. MRC Project Grant

-12/2018. CRUK Pioneer Award

-10/2018. BBSRC Project Grant

-10/2018. Alzheimers Research UK Major Project Grant

-10/2018. Alzheimers Society PhD Studentship

-01/2017. BRACE PhD Studentship

-01/2016. Biochemical Society Scientific Outreach Grant

-09/2014. EPSRC Overseas Travel Grant

-10/2012. BBSRC Industrial CASE Studentship (with Isogenica)

-06/2012. Wellcome Trust People Award (With Fayju)

-08/2011 Eppendorf Young Investigator Award (Runner up)

-06/2011. Royal Society Research Grant (with N Kad)

-10/2010. Parkinsons UK PhD Studentship (with N Kad)

-09/2010. Cancer Research UK Career Establishment Award

-05/2010. Wellcome Trust Project Grant

-01/2010. Research into Ageing New Investigator Award

-09/2008. Alzheimers Research Trust Pilot Project

-03/2008. Royal Society Research Grant

-11/2007. Royal Society Conference Grant

Information for Applicants:

We support applications for external or personal postdoctoral fellowships (e.g. EMBO, HFSP, Marie Curie or government funded) as well as applications from students who would like to undertake a PhD. Please contact Jody Mason for informal discussions.