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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

Professor Tuomas Knowles

Professor of Physical Chemistry and Biophysics

1920 Professor of Physical Chemistry

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

Autoantibodies against the prion protein in individuals with PRNP mutations
K Frontzek, M Carta, M Losa, M Epskamp, G Meisl, A Anane, J-P Brandel, U Camenisch, J Castilla, S Haïk, T Knowles, E Lindner, A Lutterotti, EV Minikel, I Roiter, JG Safar, R Sanchez-Valle, D Žáková, S Hornemann, A Aguzzi, THAUTAN-MC Study Group
– Neurology
(2020)
95,
10.1212/wnl.0000000000009183
(doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009183)
The molecular processes underpinning prion-like spreading and seed amplification in protein aggregation
G Meisl, TP Knowles, D Klenerman
– Curr Opin Neurobiol
(2020)
61,
58
(doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.01.010)
Transthyretin Inhibits Primary and Secondary Nucleations of Amyloid-β Peptide Aggregation and Reduces the Toxicity of Its Oligomers.
SA Ghadami, S Chia, FS Ruggeri, G Meisl, F Bemporad, J Habchi, R Cascella, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo, TPJ Knowles, F Chiti
– Biomacromolecules
(2020)
21,
1112
(doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01475)
Biocompatible Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Microhydrogels Promote Bacterial Adherence and Eradication in Vitro and in Vivo
L Schnaider, Z Toprakcioglu, A Ezra, X Liu, D Bychenko, A Levin, E Gazit, TPJ Knowles
– Nano letters
(2020)
20,
1590
(doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04290)
Attolitre protein nanogels from droplet nanofluidics for intracellular delivery
Z Toprakcioglu, PK Challa, DB Morse, T Knowles
– Science advances
(2020)
6,
eaay7952
(doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aay7952)
The amyloid phenomenon and its significance in biology and medicine
CM Dobson, TPJ Knowles, M Vendruscolo
– Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology
(2020)
12,
a033878
(doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a033878)
Microfluidic Diffusional Sizing for Studying Protein-Protein Interactions
MM Schneider, T Scheidt, CM Dobson, TPJ Knowles
– Biophysical Journal
(2020)
118,
512a
(doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.11.2818)
Molecular Forces in the Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Biomolecules
TJ Welsh, G Krainer, TP Knowles
– Biophysical Journal
(2020)
118,
373a
(doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.11.2134)
Quantifying the Thermodynamic Stability of Amyloid Fibrils
KL Callaghan, Q Peter, JR Kumita, TP Knowles, CM Dobson
– Biophysical Journal
(2020)
118,
492a
(doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.11.2725)
The catalytic nature of protein aggregation
AJ Dear, G Meisl, TCT Michaels, MR Zimmermann, S Linse, TPJ Knowles
– Journal of Chemical Physics
(2020)
152,
045101
(doi: 10.1063/1.5133635)
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Research Groups

Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 336344

Email address

tpjk2@cam.ac.uk

College

St John's College

    Study at Cambridge

    About the University

    Research at Cambridge