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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

Professor of Biophysics

Our research

In the last 15 years our research has been focused on the development of methods of characterising the structure, dynamics and interactions of proteins in previously inaccessible states. These methods are based on the use of experimental data, in particular from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, as structural restraints in molecular dynamics simulations. Through this approach it is possible to obtain information about a variety of protein conformations, as for example those populated during the folding process, and about protein interactions in complex environments, including those generating aggregate species that are associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Application to neurodegenerative diseases

More recently, these studies have led us to investigate the physico-chemical principles of proteins homeostasis and their application to the development of therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative diseases. Starting from the observation that proteins are expressed in the cell at levels close to their solubility limits, we are developing approaches to prevent or delay misfolding disorders based on the enhancement of our quality control mechanisms against protein aggregation.

Watch Professor Vendruscolo discuss his research

Take a tour of the Una Finlay Laboratory in the Centre for Misfolding Diseases

Publications

Rationally Designed Bicyclic Peptides Prevent the Conversion of Aβ42 Assemblies Into Fibrillar Structures
T Ikenoue, FA Aprile, P Sormanni, M Vendruscolo
– Frontiers in neuroscience
(2021)
15,
623097
Quantifying misfolded protein oligomers as drug targets and biomarkers in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases
K Kulenkampff, A-M Wolf Perez, P Sormanni, J Habchi, M Vendruscolo
– Nat Rev Chem
(2021)
5,
277
The docking of synaptic vesicles on the presynaptic membrane induced by α-synuclein is modulated by lipid composition.
WK Man, B Tahirbegi, MD Vrettas, S Preet, L Ying, M Vendruscolo, A De Simone, G Fusco
– Nature Communications
(2021)
12,
927
Aβ Oligomers Dysregulate Calcium Homeostasis by Mechanosensitive Activation of AMPA and NMDA Receptors.
G Fani, B Mannini, G Vecchi, R Cascella, C Cecchi, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo, F Chiti
– ACS Chem Neurosci
(2021)
12,
766
Infrared nanospectroscopy reveals the molecular interaction fingerprint of an aggregation inhibitor with single Aβ42 oligomers
FS Ruggeri, J Habchi, S Chia, RI Horne, M Vendruscolo, TPJ Knowles
– Nat Commun
(2021)
12,
688
A dopamine metabolite stabilizes neurotoxic amyloid-β oligomers (vol 4, 19, 2021)
R Cataldi, S Chia, K Pisani, FS Ruggeri, CK Xu, T Šneideris, M Perni, S Sarwat, P Joshi, JR Kumita, S Linse, J Habchi, TPJ Knowles, B Mannini, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo
– Communications Biology
(2021)
4,
154
Facile Installation of Post-translational Modifications on the Tau Protein via Chemical Mutagenesis.
PR Lindstedt, RJ Taylor, GJL Bernardes, M Vendruscolo
– ACS chemical neuroscience
(2021)
12,
557
A kinetic ensemble of the Alzheimer's Aβ peptide.
T Löhr, K Kohlhoff, GT Heller, C Camilloni, M Vendruscolo
– Nat Comput Sci
(2021)
1,
71
A dopamine metabolite stabilizes neurotoxic amyloid-β oligomers
R Cataldi, S Chia, K Pisani, FS Ruggeri, CK Xu, T Šneideris, M Perni, S Sarwat, P Joshi, JR Kumita, S Linse, J Habchi, TPJ Knowles, B Mannini, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo
– Communications Biology
(2021)
4,
19
Observation of an α-synuclein liquid droplet state and its maturation into Lewy body-like assemblies.
MC Hardenberg, T Sinnige, S Casford, ST Dada, C Poudel, EA Robinson, M Fuxreiter, CF Kaminksi, GS Kaminski Schierle, EAA Nollen, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo
– Journal of molecular cell biology
(2021)
13,
282
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Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 763873

Email address

mv245@cam.ac.uk