Our group undertakes research in chemical biology, chemical proteomics, protein and peptide chemistry, and medicinal chemistry. The unifying theme of our work is the design and application of chemical approaches to understand and manipulate living systems, with an emphasis on processes important to disease. Related to this theme, our group also undertakes research in medicinal chemistry and chemical synthesis/modification of proteins and peptides. 

Research funding

We are grateful to the following organisations for funding research in our group:

Current and recent grants

• MRC/EPSRC: Novel inhibitors of CD59: breaking resistance to immunotherapy in cancer (2019-2020)
• CRUK: Targeting the membrane attack complex to enhance cancer immunotherapy (2018-2022)
• CRUK: A chemical proteomic platform to uncover the impact of dynamic protein S-acylation in cancer (2019-2022)
• Worldwide Cancer Research: Unlocking the KLK activome in drug-resistant cancer: biomarker discovery & target validation (2019-2022)     
• BBSRC: Programming GPCR signalling within the endocytic network; mechanisms and therapeutic applications (2018-2021)
• Horizon 2020: SIPCA, Synthesis and validation of chemical Probes for Centrosome Declustering (2019-2021)
• Horizon 2020: TargetDUBs, Targeting ubiquitin processing in cancer and fibrosis: novel probes for the UCHLs (2019-2021)
• Pfizer Inc: Development of cell-permeable activity-based probes for deubiquitinases (2018-2021)
• CRUK Drug Discovery Award: Rab27a: a novel drug target in cancer (2016-2021)
• Xunta de Galicia: Novel multifunctional PROTACs (2018-2020)     
• BBSRC: A surface plasmon resonance facility for label-free analysis of biomolecular interactions (2019-2020)
• EPSRC Prize Fellowship: KLK probes in prostate cancer (2019-2020)
• Imperial CRUK Centre: Unlocking the KLK activome in epithelial ovarian cancer (2019)
• MRC/Wellcome ICiC: Sensitising bacteria to the host immune system (2018-2019)
• MRC ICiC: Rab27 as a target in cancer (2018-2019)
• GSK: Development of Antimalarial NMT inhibitors (2018-2019)
• EPSRC/Evgen: Capitalising on chemistry innovation to expand the impact of Sulforadex (2018-2019)
• FSRF: Targeting a bacterium to kill a worm (2018-2019)
• CRUK: The role of dynamic protein acylation in cancer (2018-2022) 
• H2020: Roles of dynamic acylation in innate immunity (2018-2020) 
• CRUK: New targets and new biomarkers in drug-resistant cancer (2017-2021)
• EPSRC/GSK: Next generation polyfunctional probes for chemical biology (2017-2021) 
• SNSF: Novel probes for ubiquitin-specific proteases (2017-2019) 
• SNSF: Diagnostic probes for the KLK activome (2017-2019)  
• British Council: Investigating drug resistance and new treatments for Trypanosoma evansi infection (2017-2019) 
• H2020: Protein palmitoylation and receptor function in cancer (2017-2019)
• Royal Society: Protein trafficking and secretion regulated by protein lipidation (2017-2019)
• MRC Confidence in Concept: Disarming the hedgehog pathway in cancer (2017-2018) 
• MRC Confidence in Concept: Acylation inhibitors as anti-inflammatory agents (2017-2018) 
• MRC Confidence in Concept: Preclinical development of NMT inhibitors for cancer (2016-2017)
• EPSRC GCRF: Translating UK drug target chemistry for LMIC benefit (2016-2017)
• BBSRC: Chemical biology of short chain fatty acid receptors (2016-2019)
• EPSRC Pathways to Impact: novel brain shuttles (2016-2017)
• Asthma UK: Analyis of rhinovirus replication complexes (2016-2019)
• Medicines for Malaria Venture: lead development of NMT inhibitors as antimalarial agents (2015-2017)
• CRUK Programme Foundation Award: Protein Lipidation in Cancer: scope, dysfunction and potential for therapeutic intervention (2015-2021)
• Medicines for Malaria Venture: Development of Antimalarial NMT inhibitors (2015-2016)
• MISSION Therapeutics: New probes for the deubiquitinases (2015-2016)
• CRUK Drug Discovery Award: Rab27a: a novel drug target in cancer (2015-2017)
• Horizon 2020: MaSCheNav, Chemoproteomic profiling of Nav1.7, a voltage-gated sodium channel (2015-2017)
• EPSRC: Strategic Instiution Collaborative Award (2015-2016)
• MRC Confidence in Concept: NMT as a therapeutic target in asthma and COPD (2015-2016)
• MRC Confidence in Concept: Rab27a as a novel cancer target (2015-2016)
• MRC Confidence in Concept: NMT as a therapeutic target in cancer (2014-2015)
• EU FP7: CBHedgehog, chemical biology approaches in understanding the hedghog secretion process (2014-2016)
• EPSRC PTI: a novel target in Glioblastoma multiforme (2014-2015)
• MRC: Roles of Legionella pneumophila effectors (2014-2017)
• EPSRC/AstraZeneca: Target identification for compounds with unknown mode of action (2013-2018)
• BBSRC/Genentech: Novel probes for NaV channelsin neuropathic pain (2013-2018) 
• MRC/CrackIT: Imaging for biologicals (2013)
• MRC: Protein lipidation as a regulator of host-pathogen interactions during HSV infection (2013-2016)
• Breast Cancer Campaign: Rab27a as a novel drug target in breast cancer (2013-2014)
• BHF: RhoB inhibitors in prevention and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (2013-2016)
• CRUK: Hedgehog acyltransferase (Hhat): a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer (2013-2015)
• EU FP7: ChemAMP, Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2013-2015)
• EPSRC: Equipment sharing and Kick Start awards (2012-2013)
• EPSRC: Doctoral Prize Fellowship, Dr Megan Wright (2012-2013)
• BBSRC: Design of high affinity ligands for C. albicans Als adhesins (2012-2015)
• EU FP7: ProbesPTRM, Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship (2012-2014)
• BBSRC/Syngenta: In vivo specificity of VLCFA elongase inhibitors (2012-2016)
• DFG: Chemical proteomics of host-pathogen interactions (2012-2013)
• EU FP7: LIPOPROT, Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2011-2013)
• Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund: ''Sonic hedgehog as a potential therapeutic target'' (2011-2014)
• MRC, "N-myristoyl transferase: a drug target for anti-malarial therapy'' (2010-2014)
• EPSRC/Pfizer, "New drug targets for respiratory disease'' (2010-2014)
• EPSRC/Pfizer, Knowledge Transfer Secondment Award (2010-2011)
• Wellcome Trust, "N-myristoyl transferase as a drug target for visceral leishmaniasis" (2009-2013)
• CRUK, "Targeting post-translational protein acylation in cancer" (2009-2013)
• EU/FlexGen, "PNA microarrays: synthesis and application" (2009-2011)
• CRUK, "The role of NMT in cancer: a chemical proteomic approach" (2008-2011)
• EPSRC, "Throwing a chemical spanner in the Plasmodium invasion motor" (2007-2011)
• BBSRC, "Exploring the post-translationally modified proteome'' (2006-2011)
• MRC, "Novel chemical probes of surface-layer formation in pathogenic bacteria'' (2008-2009)
• The Royal Society, "Using protein NMR to explore the Plasmodium falciparum Myosin Tail-domain Interacting Protein (MTIP)-Myosin A (MyoA) complex'' (2008-2009)