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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

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

ADSoluble aggregates present in cerebrospinal fluid change in size and mechanism of toxicity during Alzheimer’s disease progression
S De, D Whiten, F Ruggeri, C Hughes, M Rodrigues, D Sideris, C Taylor, F Aprile, S Muyldermans, T Knowles, M Vendruscolo, C Bryant, K Blennow, I Skoog, S Kern, H Zetterberg, D Klenerman
(2019)
600346
Different soluble aggregates of Aβ42 can give rise to cellular toxicity through different mechanisms
S De, DC Wirthensohn, P Flagmeier, C Hughes, FA Aprile, FS Ruggeri, DR Whiten, D Emin, Z Xia, JA Varela, P Sormanni, F Kundel, TPJ Knowles, CM Dobson, C Bryant, M Vendruscolo, D Klenerman
– Nature communications
(2019)
10,
1541
Direct observation of prion protein oligomer formation reveals an aggregation mechanism with multiple conformationally distinct species.
JC Sang, J-E Lee, AJ Dear, S De, G Meisl, AM Thackray, R Bujdoso, TPJ Knowles, D Klenerman
– Chem Sci
(2019)
10,
4588
Increased Secondary Nucleation Underlies Accelerated Aggregation of the Four-Residue N-Terminally Truncated Aβ42 Species Aβ5-42
T Weiffert, G Meisl, P Flagmeier, S De, CJR Dunning, B Frohm, H Zetterberg, K Blennow, E Portelius, D Klenerman, CM Dobson, TPJ Knowles, S Linse
– ACS Chemical Neuroscience
(2019)
10,
2374
Fabrication and Characterization of Reconstituted Silk Microgels for the Storage and Release of Small Molecules
X Liu, Z Toprakcioglu, AJ Dear, A Levin, FS Ruggeri, CG Taylor, M Hu, JR Kumita, M Andreasen, CM Dobson, U Shimanovich, TPJ Knowles
– Macromol Rapid Commun
(2019)
40,
e1800898
A method of predicting the in vitro fibril formation propensity of Aβ40 mutants based on their inclusion body levels in E-coli
K Sanagavarapu, E Nüske, I Nasir, G Meisl, JN Immink, P Sormanni, M Vendruscolo, TPJ Knowles, A Malmendal, C Cabaleiro-Lago, S Linse
– Scientific Reports
(2019)
9,
3680
Atomic force microscopy for single molecule characterisation of protein aggregation.
FS Ruggeri, T Šneideris, M Vendruscolo, TPJ Knowles
– Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
(2019)
664,
134
Targeting the Formation of Amyloid Oligomers using Rationally Designed Antibodies
FA Aprile, P Sormanni, M Perni, P Arosio, S Linse, TP Knowles, CM Dobson, M Vendruscolo
– Biophysical Journal
(2019)
116,
28a
Physical Determinants of Amyloid Assembly in Biofilm Formation
M Andreasen, G Meisl, JD Taylor, TCT Michaels, A Levin, DE Otzen, MR Chapman, CM Dobson, SJ Matthews, TPJ Knowles
– mBio
(2019)
10,
10.1128/mbio.02279
The presence of autoantibodies against the prion protein is independent of PRNP mutations
K Frontzek, M Carta, M Losa, M Epskamp, G Meisl, U Camenisch, T Knowles, S Hornemann, A Aguzzi
– PRION
(2019)
13,
119
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Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 336344

Email address

tpjk2@cam.ac.uk