Our major research programme concerns the folding, stability and activity of proteins. We apply a broad multi-disciplinary approach that combines methods and ideas of molecular biology and physical-organic chemistry. We use techniques including protein engineering, DNA cloning, sequencing and mutagenesis, cell culture, gene and peptide synthesis, spectroscopy, rapid reaction techniques, multi-dimensional NMR (we have a 500, 600, 700 and an 800 MHz spectrometers) and x-ray protein crystallography.

Current major projects include: protein folding, misfolding and disease; drug discovery; and structure-activity relationships of proteins involved in cancer and disease.

Although now emeritus, I am still fully active in research with long term funding, including an MRC Programme Grant.

Publications

Tumor Suppressor p53 Slides on DNA with Low Friction and High Stability
A Tafvizi, F Huang, JS Leith, AR Fersht, LA Mirny, AM van Oijen
Biophys J
(2008)
95
Structure of tumor suppressor p53 and its intrinsically disordered N-terminal transactivation domain
M Wells, H Tidow, TJ Rutherford, P Markwick, MR Jensen, E Mylonas, DI Svergun, M Blackledge, AR Fersht
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(2008)
105
High temperature unfolding simulations of the TRPZ1 peptide
G Settanni, AR Fersht
Biophysical journal
(2008)
94
A Guide to Measuring and Interpreting Φ‐values
NR Guydosh, AR Fersht
(2008)
1
Algorithm for prediction of tumour suppressor p53 affinity for binding sites in DNA
DB Veprintsev, AR Fersht
Nucleic acids research
(2008)
36
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis of the folding pathway of Engrailed Homeodomain
F Huang, G Settanni, AR Fersht
Protein Engineering Design and Selection
(2008)
21
Demonstration by burst-phase analysis of a robust folding intermediate in the FF domain
P Jemth, CM Johnson, S Gianni, AR Fersht
Protein Eng Des Sel
(2008)
21
The role of the turn in β-hairpin formation during WW domain folding
T Sharpe, AL Jonsson, TJ Rutherford, V Daggett, AR Fersht
Protein Science
(2007)
16
Comparative Biophysical Characterization of p53 with the Pro-apoptotic BAK and the Anti-apoptotic BCL-xL *
B Sot, SMV Freund, AR Fersht
Journal of Biological Chemistry
(2007)
282
Quaternary structures of tumor suppressor p53 and a specific p53–DNA complex
H Tidow, R Melero, E Mylonas, SMV Freund, JG Grossmann, JM Carazo, DI Svergun, M Valle, AR Fersht
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(2007)
104