MD Cell Biology
Cell biology encompasses research of the cell and its organelles' structural and functional roles, physiology, signalling, cell stress, cell communications, and its applications to the diagnosis and therapy of disease. We integrate expertise in cell biology, structural biology, signalling and the use of model organisms.
Overview
We're a leading international centre for research into the fundamental principles of human physiology, with expertise in all aspects of modern physiology.
Our experimental approaches involve biochemical, behavioural, electrophysiological, molecular, structural and state-of art imaging (such as multiphoton confocal, spinning disk, light sheet and 3D electron microscopy) applied to mammalian cell systems and also to model organisms such as Caenorhabdities elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Dictyostelium.
Our exciting and dynamic research environment benefits from increasing collaboration with academic clinicians looking for cell-based and cell targeted therapies.
Research interests focus on:
Neuronal cell and synaptic biology, including developmental cell biology and how neuronal intracellular signals are translated into physiological responses
Role of cellular chaperone proteins in protection from damaging challenges and biological stresses
Role of key cell signalling pathways (e.g. NFKappaB, Wnt, Erk1/2, AKT etc.) and intracellular messengers (calcium, IP3, cAMP etc.) in health and disease
Calcium signalling in health and disease, including current focus on the role of calcium signalling, mitochondrial function and bioenergetics in pancreatitis and regulated secretion.