One of the biggest challenges in biological chemistry is the design of small molecules that interact selectively with macromolecules. We are pioneering the development of the use of fragments to address this challenge. This approach involves close synergistic interaction between synthetic organic chemistry, biophysics and structural biology. We are using fragment-based methods to identify inhibitors of enzymes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and to develop small molecules that modulate protein-protein interactions. We are also keen to explore new applications for fragments e.g. to identify molecules that modulate the activity of riboswitches, and to assign function to orphan proteins.
Our second major area of research is to develop the use of microdroplets in microfluidics as a novel experimental platform for biological chemistry. This research is highly interdisciplinary and involves biological chemistry, microfluidics, nanofabrication, laser spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. We are particularly interested in looking at cells in droplets, e.g. bacteria to study quorum sensing, algae for bio-fuel development.
Use of atomic force microscopy for making addresses in DNA coatings
DJ Zhou, K Sinniah, C Abell, T Rayment - Langmuir (
2002)
18, 8278
(DOI:
10.1021/la0258547)
Vinyl fluoride as an isoelectronic replacement for an enolate anion: Inhibition of type II dehydroquinases
M Frederickson, JR Coggins, C Abell - Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) (
2002), 1886
(DOI:
10.1039/b205105m)
Writing with DNA and protein using a nanopipet for controlled delivery.
A Bruckbauer, LM Ying, AM Rothery, DJ Zhou, AI Shevchuk, C Abell, YE Korchev, D Klenerman - Journal of the American Chemical Society (
2002)
124, 8810
(DOI:
10.1021/ja026816c)
Creating nanoscale patterns of dendrimers on silicon surfaces with dip-pen nanolithography
R McKendry, WTS Huck, B Weeks, M Florini, C Abell, T Rayment - Nano Letters (
2002)
2, 713
(DOI:
10.1021/nl020247p)
The structure and mechanism of the type II dehydroquinase from Streptomyces coelicolor
AW Roszak, DA Robinson, T Krell, IS Hunter, M Fredrickson, C Abell, JR Coggins, AJ Lapthorn - Structure (
2002)
10, 493
(DOI:
10.1016/S0969-2126(02)00747-5)
The use of FTICR-MS to detect chemical tags from a combinatorial library
MH Todd, C Abell - The Analyst (
2002)
127, 1399
(DOI:
10.1039/b203957p)
High-throughput x-ray crystallography for drug discovery.
TL Blundell, C Abell, A Cleasby, MJ Hartshorn, IJ Tickle, E Parasini, H Jhoti - (
2002), 53
(DOI:
10.1039/9781847550705-00053)
High-throughput crystallography for lead discovery in drug design
TL Blundell, H Jhoti, C Abell - Nat Rev Drug Discov (
2002)
1, 45
(DOI:
10.1038/nrd706)
A simple method for the preparation of 3-hydroxyiminodehydroquinate, a potent inhibitor of type II dehydroquinase
C Le Sann, C Abell, AD Abell - J CHEM SOC PERK T 1 (
2002), 2065
(DOI:
10.1039/b206066c)
A Sensitive and Economical Method to Directly Detect Particles
MA Cooper, VP Ostanin, D Klenerman, A Slepstov, R Karamanska, FN Dultsev, K Stirrups, S Kelling, T Minson, C Abell - Proceedings of IEEE Sensors (2002) 1, 1042
