Barford Group
Team Leader: Professor David Barford FRS
Location: Chester Beatty Laboratories, London
Section: Section of Structural Biology
The correct regulation of cellular processes is critical to the normal function of an organism, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, gene expression, and myriad signal transduction pathways. These processes are regulated by transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Post-translational processes include reversible protein phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination, whereas post-transcriptional mechanisms are mediated by RNA silencing phenomena. De-regulation of optimal cellular signalling pathways has important implications for the development of cancer. Our interests are concerned with understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying signal transduction and cell regulation.
Our approach is to understand at a molecular level, the proteins and protein-nucleic acid complexes that regulate cell processes, with a particular emphasis on elucidating mechanisms that provide specificity in these pathways. Our interests include understanding the mechanisms of asymmetric cell division, a process that determines cellular differentiation in multi-cellular organisms, and the formation of stem cells. Insights into these systems may provide a framework for rational drug design and the development of specific and potent inhibitors that may be effective for the treatment of cancer.
In the Section of Structural Biology
