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

Minimal and optimal mechanisms for GroE-mediated protein folding (vol 95, pg 15275, 1998)
AP Ben-Zvi, J Chatellier, AR Fersht, P Goloubinoff
P NATL ACAD SCI USA
(1999)
96
Mutually compensatory mutations during evolution of the tetramerization domain of tumor suppressor p53 lead to impaired hetero-oligomerization.
MG Mateu, AR Fersht
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
(1999)
96
Acquisition of native-like interactions in C-terminal fragments of barnase
JL Neira, AR Fersht
J Mol Biol
(1999)
287
An irregular beta-bulge common to a group of bacterial RNases is an important determinant of stability and function in barnase
DD Axe, NW Foster, AR Fersht
Journal of molecular biology
(1999)
286
Structural response to mutation at a protein-protein interface.
CK Vaughan, AM Buckle, AR Fersht
J Mol Biol
(1999)
286
Mechanism of folding and assembly of a small tetrameric protein domain from tumor suppressor p53.
MG Mateu, MM Sánchez Del Pino, AR Fersht
Nat Struct Biol
(1999)
6
Oxidative refolding chromatography: folding of the scorpion toxin Cn5.
MM Altamirano, C García, LD Possani, AR Fersht
Nature biotechnology
(1999)
17
Stability and folding of the tumour suppressor protein p16.
KS Tang, BJ Guralnick, WK Wang, AR Fersht, LS Itzhaki
J Mol Biol
(1999)
285
Exploring the folding funnel of a polypeptide chain by biophysical studies on protein fragments.
JL Neira, AR Fersht
Journal of Molecular Biology
(1999)
285
Analysis of protein–protein interactions by mutagenesis: direct versus indirect effects
DE Otzen, AR Fersht
Protein Eng
(1999)
12