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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

Professor of Physical Chemistry and Biophysics

Our research

We study the physical and chemical aspects of the behaviour of biopolymers and other soft systems. Much of our work has been focused on the physical aspects underlying the self-assembly of protein molecules. Self-organisation is the driving force generating complex matter in nature, and the process by which the machinery providing functionality in living systems is assembled. The goal of our research is to understand the physical and chemical factors which control the structures and dynamics of biomolecular assemblies, and the connections between the nanoscale characteristics of the component molecules and the physical properties of large-scale assemblies and their behaviour on a mesoscopic to macroscopic scale. The techniques used in our laboratory include biosensors, optical lithography, microfluidic devices and scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy. We work both with natural and synthetic polymers and our interests range from fundamental chemical physics to technological applications in material science and molecular medicine.

Watch Professor Knowles discuss his research

Take a tour of the Sir Rodney Sweetnam laboratory

Publications

The Alzheimer’s Aβ peptide forms biomolecular condensates that trigger amyloid aggregation
Š Greta, AG Díaz, SD Adhikari, J Wei, T Michaels, T Šneideris, S Linse, M Vendruscolo, K Garai, TPJ Knowles
(2024)
Microfluidic antibody profiling after repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination links antibody affinity and concentration to impaired immunity and variant escape in patients on anti-CD20 therapy
A Priddey, MXH Chen-Xu, DJ Cooper, S MacMillan, G Meisl, CK Xu, M Hosmillo, IG Goodfellow, R Kollyfas, R Doffinger, JR Bradley, II Mohorianu, R Jones, TPJ Knowles, R Smith, V Kosmoliaptsis
– Frontiers in immunology
(2024)
14,
1296148
Nanoscale profiling of evolving intermolecular interactions in ageing FUS condensates
A Miller, Z Toprakcioglu, S Qamar, P St. George-Hyslop, S Ruggeri, T Knowles, M Vendruscolo
(2023)
Aggregation of the Amyloid-β Peptide (Aβ40) within Condensates Generated through Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation
O Morris, Z Toprakcioglu, A Röntgen, M Cali, T Knowles, M Vendruscolo
(2023)
Monoclonal antibodies targeting cytotoxic α-synuclein oligomers: molecular properties and diagnostic potential
D Otzen, J Nielsen, J Lauritsen, J Pedersen, J Nowak, M Bendtsen, G Kleijwegt, M Schneider, G Krainer, T Knowles, L Goksøyr, P Khalifé, S Kaalund, S Aznar, M Kjærgaard, M Nielsen, F Sander, M Romero-Ramos
(2023)
Nonspecificity fingerprints for clinical-stage antibodies in solution
TW Herling, G Invernizzi, H Ausserwöger, JR Bjelke, T Egebjerg, S Lund, N Lorenzen, TPJ Knowles
– Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
(2023)
120,
e2306700120
Targeting nucleic acid phase transitions as a mechanism of action for antimicrobial peptides
T Sneideris, NA Erkamp, H Ausserwöger, KL Saar, TJ Welsh, D Qian, K Katsuya-Gaviria, MLLY Johncock, G Krainer, A Borodavka, TPJ Knowles
– Nature Communications
(2023)
14,
7170
Linking modulation of bio-molecular phase behaviour with collective interactions
D Qian, H Ausserwoger, W Arter, R Scrutton, T Welsh, T Kartanas, N Ermann, S Qamar, C Fischer, T Sneideris, P St George-Hyslop, R Pappu, T Knowles
(2023)
Microfluidic antibody profiling after repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination links antibody affinity and concentration to impaired immunity and variant escape in patients on anti-CD-20 therapy
A Priddey, MXH Chen-Xu, DJ Cooper, S MacMillan, G Meisl, CK Xu, M Hosmillo, IG Goodfellow, R Kollyfas, R Doffinger, JR Bradley, II Mohorianu, R Jones, TPJ Knowles, R Smith, V Kosmoliaptsis
(2023)
Molecular mechanism of α-synuclein aggregation on lipid membranes revealed
A Dear, X Teng, S Ball, J Lewin, R Horne, D Clow, N Harper, K Yahya, TCT Michaels, S Linse, T Knowles, X Yang, S Brewerton, J Thomson, J Habchi, G Meisl
(2023)
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Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 336344

Email address

tpjk2@cam.ac.uk