Our Members
A list of our investigators by research area
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucia Bandiera |
We use an engineering approach to automate modelling and control of biological networks in yeast and mammalian cell systems. Applications in biomedicine include the establishment of in vitro models for chronic diseases and the microfluidic, real-time optimisation of promising therapies. |
School of Engineering | Lucia.Bandiera@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Jelena Baranovic |
We are interested in structure and function of ionotropic glutamate receptors - neural receptors essential for memory formation and learning. We are developing synthetic approaches to study behaviour of these proteins within synapses |
School of Biological Sciences | jelena.baranovic@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Adrian Bird | We use genetic manipulation technology to selectively ablate cells within the brain and other tissues based on X-inactivation choice. The results will shed light on tissue/organ plasticity and may have therapeutic implications. | School of Biological Sciences | a.bird@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Sara Buonomo | Understanding the functional relationships between DNA replication, nuclear organisation and gene expression | School of Biological Sciences |
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| Elise Cachat | Engineering new synthetic gene circuits in mammalian cells: sensing modules, reporting modules and actuation modules (e.g. locomotion, apoptosis). Cells endowed with these new functions can be used to sense the presence of specific stimuli in their environment and report or act upon it. | School of Biological Sciences | elise.cachat@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Jane Calvert | Science and Technology Studies; Responsible Research and Innovation; Philosophy of Biology; Science Policy | Science, Technology and Innovation Studies | jane.calvert@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Jamie Davies | Synthetic morphogenesis, tissue engineering, pharmacology | CMVM (Deanery of Biomedical Sciences) | jamie.davies@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| William C. Earnshaw | cell cycle, mitosis, mitotic chromosome structure, centromeres, kinetochores, epigenetics. human artificial chromosomes | Wellcome Centre of Cell Biology/ School of Biological Sciences | bill.earnshaw@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Sebastian Greiss | My lab develops and uses tools based on genetic code expansion and non-canonical amino acids to probe neuronal circuits in C. elegans worms. | Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences | s.greiss@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Tilo Kunath | Producing next-generation human cell products for Parkinson’s research and advanced therapies using synbio approaches. | CRM/ School of Biological Sciences | tilo.kunath@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Steven Pollard | Neural stem cells, brain cancer, transcriptional control, enhancers, gene therapy, cell therapy | CRM/ School of Biological Sciences | steven.pollard@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Lynne Regan | Synthetic proteins for synthetic biology. Biomaterials for regenerative medicine. Protein engineering and design. Protein assemblies and interactions inside cells. Visualising proteins in live cells with new super-resolution imaging methods. Cell-free selection strategies. Interfaces and surfaces. | School of Biological Sciences | lynne.regan@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Susan Rosser | Developing tools for synthetic biology approaches for pathway and genome engineering in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cell systems. The applications of our work include rapid strain engineering for production of high value secondary metabolites, cell lines for protein production, engineering bacteria to generate electricity and developing genetic tools for bio-computation. | School of Biological Sciences | susan.rosser@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Abdenour Soufi | Understanding the chromatin basis that control cellular identity. We exploit and develop synthetic biology approaches to reprogramme mammalian cells from one type to another. | CRM/ School of Biological Sciences | Abdenour.Soufi@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| David Tollervey | Interactions between SAR-CoV-2 proteins and host cell RNA metabolism | Wellcome Centre of Cell BIology/ School of Biological Sciences | d.tollervey@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Julie Welburn | In vitro reconstitution of biological systems | School of Biological Sciences | julie.welburn@ed.ac.uk | |||||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garry Blakely | Our lab focuses on the genetics, genomics and biochemistry of bacteria. We aim to provide new biological insights and novel biotechnological solutions for both biomedicine and industrial applications. | School of Biological Sciences | Garry.Blakely@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Dominic Campopiano | School of Chemistry | dominic campopiano@ed.ac.uk | ||||
| Scott L. Cockroft | Research in the Cockroft group spans organic chemistry and bionanotechnology. We combine molecules of synthetic and biological origins to examine the physical organic chemistry underpinning molecular interactions and the operation of molecular machines. | School of Chemistry | scott.cockroft@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Katherine Dunn | Electrosynbionics; DNA nanotechnology; bioengineering; biophysics | School of Engineering | k.dunn@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andrew Free | Microbial biotechnology, gut microbiota, anti-microbial resistance, microbial ecology and evolution | School of Biological Sciences | Andrew.Free@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Chris French | microbial and cell free synthetic biology, biosensors and diagnostics, biomaterials, biocatalysis, biomass, bioprocessing | School of Biological Sciences | C.French@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Louise Horsfall |
Sustainable Biotechnology; Resource Efficiency; Circular Economy; Synthetic Biology |
School of Biological Sciences | Louise.Horsfall@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Amanda Jarvis | Artificial enzymes for synthetic chemistry, unnatural amino acids and genetic code expansion. | School of Chemistry | amanda.jarvis@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Nadanai Laohakunakorn | Cell-free synthetic biology, synthetic metabolism, microfluidics, biophysics | School of Biological Sciences | nadanai.laohakunakorn@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Davide Michieletto |
We use DNA nanotechnology, DNA origami and DNA engineering and exploit DNA-protein interactions to make bioinspired materials. We do in vitro experiments, single molecule imaging and computational modelling. |
School of Physics and Astronomy | Davide.Michieletto@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andew Millar |
Open Research and Research Data Management, implemented locally through the Bio_RDM team (please contact mailto:bio_rdm@ed.ac.uk), and institutionally through partnership with the University's Research Data Services. Science policy and Research community organisation, which overlaps with Research on Research and the Science of Network Science. Implemented in collaboration with Science, Technology and Innovation Studies and Edinburgh Business School, and via Scottish and UK policy engagement. |
School of Biological Sciences | andrew.millar@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Lynne Regan | Synthetic proteins for synthetic biology. Biomaterials for regenerative medicine. Protein engineering and design. Protein assemblies and interactions inside cells. Visualising proteins in live cells with new super-resolution imaging methods. Cell-free selection strategies. Interfaces and surfaces. | School of Biological Sciences | lynne.regan@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Adam A. Stokes | The Soft Systems Group is part of the Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems in The School of Engineering at The University of Edinburgh. We use a wide range of bioinspired engineering approaches to tackle the most challenging issues faced by society. | School of Engineering | Adam.stokes@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Joyce Tait | Support for innovation in life sciences, including foresighting future business models and value chains, analysing the impact of regulatory systems and future regulatory adaptation, and responsible innovation | Innogen Institute | joyce.tait@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Edward Wallace | We study how organisms respond to their environment, focusing on molecular mechanisms used by fungi. We collect and analyze genome-scale datasets to understand how fungi dynamically reorganize their RNA and protein to adapt to environmental change. This includes how fungi adapt to infect human hosts, and how they adapt to produce proteins in industrial bioreactors. | School of Biological Sciences | Edward.Wallace@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Stephen Wallace | Sustainable Chemical Synthesis. Whole-cell Biotransformations. Synthetic Biology. Metabolic Engineering. Biocompatible Chemistry | School of Biological Sciences | stephen.wallace@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Alexander | Microbial population dynamics and evolution; mathematical modelling and experiments | School of Biological Sciences | helen.alexander@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Robin Allshire | We employ a synthetic approach to demonstrate that H3K9 methylation can act as a bona fide epigenetic mark allowing the transmission of information though both mitotic an | School of Biological Sciences | robin.allshire@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Garry Blakely | Our lab focuses on the genetics, genomics and biochemistry of bacteria. We aim to provide new biological insights and novel biotechnological solutions for both biomedicine and industrial applications. | School of Biological Sciences | Garry.Blakely@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Meriem el Karoui | Our lab aims to understand how bacteria respond to DNA damage, especially after exposure to antibiotics. We use a combination of molecular genetics, single molecule microscopy and mathematical modelling to address this question. | School of Biological Sciences | meriem.elkaroui@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andrew Free | Microbial biotechnology, gut microbiota, anti-microbial resistance, microbial ecology and evolution | School of Biological Sciences | Andrew.Free@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Sander Granneman | RNA-binding proteins, RNA structure, protein-RNA interactions, bioinformatics, biochemistry, genetics, pathogenic bacteria, yeast, stress adaptation, dynamics. | School of Biological Sciences | Sander.Granneman@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Kevin Hardwick | We study chromosome segregation in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. We are interested in how it regulates its ploidy during infections, and how aneuploidy is relevant to the generation of drug-resistant strains. | School of Biological Sciences | Kevin.Hardwick@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Teuta Pilizota | We are interested in bacterial electrophysiology (including osmotic pressure regulation) and bacterial swimming. Apart from gaining basic knowledge, we apply what we learn for industrial biotechnology and biosensing purposes. | School of Biological Sciences | teuta.pilizota@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Peter Swain | The systems biology of cellular decision-making, particularly the response of budding yeast to stress. | School of Biological Sciences | peter.swain@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Bartlomiej Waclaw | I am interested in biological evolution of bacteria, in particular in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. I use computational models and wet lab experiments in my research. | School of Physics and Astronomy | bwaclaw@staffmail.ed.ac.uk | |||
| Edward Wallace | We study how organisms respond to their environment, focusing on molecular mechanisms used by fungi. We collect and analyze genome-scale datasets to understand how fungi dynamically reorganize their RNA and protein to adapt to environmental change. This includes how fungi adapt to infect human hosts, and how they adapt to produce proteins in industrial bioreactors. | School of Biological Sciences | Edward.Wallace@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucia Bandiera | We use an engineering approach to automate modelling and control of biological networks in yeast and mammalian cell systems. Applications in biomedicine include the establishment of in vitro models for chronic diseases and the microfluidic, real-time optimisation of promising therapies. | School of Engineering | Lucia.Bandiera@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Alistair Elfick | School of Engineering | Alistair.Elfick@ed.ac.uk | ||||
| Filippo Menolascina | School of Engineering | Filippo.Menolascina@ed.ac.uk | ||||
| Teuta Pilizota |
We are developing tools to automate microbial culturing as well as to increase the analytical capability we can obtain during microbial culture growth. A recent start-up from our lab, OG Bio (https://www.ogibio.com/) is commercializing some of the technology. |
School of Biological Sciences | teuta.pilizota@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Subramanian Ramamoorthy | We develop machine learning methods that enable autonomous robots to operate robustly in application domains. These applications motivate us to develop new models and algorithms. | School of Informatics | ||||
| Adam A. Stokes | We use a wide range of bioinspired engineering approaches to tackle the most challenging issues faced by society. | School of Engineering | Adam.stokes@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Giovanni Stracquadanio | We work at the interface of synthetic biology and machine learning to develop new technologies for data-driven bioengineering. We aim at learning Nature's design principles to develop algorithms for engineering biological systems. | School of Biological Sciences | giovanni.stracquadanio@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Peter Doerner | I am interested in plant cell biotechnology, specifically in using mono-specific plant cells for solutions to chemical/molecular library screening and production platform challenges. Development of synthetic tissues and cell assemblies are also of interest. | School of Biological Sciences | peter.doerner@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andrew Hudson | We investigate how the development of multicellular trichomes is controlled. Trichomes are important in crop protection and are the source of many high value compounds, inclu | School of Biological Sciences | andrew.hudson@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Gary J. Loake | Biosynthesis, regulation and commercialisation of plant high value natural products. Development of plant cell culture tools, processing and commercial scale-up. | School of Biological Sciences | gloake@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Attila Molnar | Plant and alga epigenetics, and industrial biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | attila.molnar@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Alistair McCormick | Photosynthesis in plants and microalgae, and engineering approaches to produce novel products or improve productivity. | School of Biological Sciences | alistair.mccormick@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Gerben van Ooijen | We study the molecular mechanisms of the ~24h biological timekeeping system, the circadian clock, and its functional consequences for the physiology and metabolism of plants and phytoplanktonic algae. | School of Biological Sciences | Gerben.vanOoijen@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucia Bandiera | We use an engineering approach to automate modelling and control of biological networks in yeast and mammalian cell systems. Applications in biomedicine include the establishment of in vitro models for chronic diseases and the microfluidic, real-time optimisation of promising therapies. | School of Engineering | Lucia.Bandiera@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Karl Burgess | Metabolomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Industrial Biotechnology | School of Biological Sciences | karl.burgess@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andrew Goryachev | Biophysical modelling of cellular morphogenesis and pattern formation | School of Biological Sciences | Andrew.Goryachev@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Ramon Grima | Stochastic gene expression; Modelling; Inference | School of Biological Sciences | ramon.grima@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Sander Granneman | RNA-binding proteins, RNA structure, protein-RNA interactions, bioinformatics, biochemistry, genetics, pathogenic bacteria, yeast, stress adaptation, dynamics. | School of Biological Sciences | Sander.Granneman@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Nadanai Laohakunakorn | Cell-free synthetic biology, synthetic metabolism, microfluidics, biophysics | School of Biological Sciences | nadanai.laohakunakorn@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Andew Millar |
Open Research and Research Data Management, implemented locally through the Bio_RDM team (please contact mailto:bio_rdm@ed.ac.uk), and institutionally through partnership with the University's Research Data Services. Science policy and Research community organisation, which overlaps with Research on Research and the Science of Network Science. Implemented in collaboration with Science, Technology and Innovation Studies and Edinburgh Business School, and via Scottish and UK policy engagement. |
School of Biological Sciences | andrew.millar@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Diego Oyarzun | Computational methods for the analysis of biomolecular networks in Synthetic Biology, Systems Biology, Industrial Biotechnology and Biomedicine. | School of Informatics/School of Biological Sciences | d.oyarzun@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Davide Michieletto |
We use DNA nanotechnology, DNA origami and DNA engineering and exploit DNA-protein interactions to make bioinspired materials. We do in vitro experiments, single molecule imaging and computational modelling. |
School of Physics and Astronomy | Davide.Michieletto@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Linus Schumacher | Tissue development and regeneration can be seen as group behaviours of cell populations, with complex interactions and dynamic feedback between stem cells and the rest of a tissue. We use mathematical models and computational simulations to test hypotheses in complex biological systems and discern informative patterns in experimental data. | Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) | Linus.Schumacher@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Adam A. Stokes | We use a wide range of bioinspired engineering approaches to tackle the most challenging issues faced by society. | School of Engineering | Adam.stokes@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Giovanni Stracquadanio | We work at the interface of synthetic biology and machine learning to develop new technologies for data-driven bioengineering. We aim at learning Nature's design principles to develop algorithms for engineering biological systems. | School of Biological Sciences | giovanni.stracquadanio@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Peter Swain |
The systems biology of cellular decision-making, particularly the response of budding yeast to stress. |
School of Biological Sciences | peter.swain@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Edward Wallace | We study how organisms respond to their environment, focusing on molecular mechanisms used by fungi. We collect and analyze genome-scale datasets to understand how fungi dynamically reorganize their RNA and protein to adapt to environmental change. This includes how fungi adapt to infect human hosts, and how they adapt to produce proteins in industrial bioreactors. | School of Biological Sciences | Edward.Wallace@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Chris Wells Wood | Our research focuses on improving the accessibility and reliability of protein design so that it can be adopted more widely as a method for tackling challenges in biotechnology and synthetic biology. To do this, we're developing tools that apply machine-learning, computational modelling and structural bioinformatics to help guide users through the protein-design process. | School of Biological Sciences | chris.wood@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Name | Interests | Affiliation | ||||
| Charles Cockell | Work to understand how microorganisms can be used to extract economically useful elements from extraterrestrial materials such as lunar and Martian rocks. | School of Physics and Astronomy | ccockell@ed.ac.uk | |||
| Rosa Santomartino | Our aim is to use tools such as microbiology, molecular biology, system biology and geomicrobiology to learn how new biotechnologies could be applied to space, in order to support sustainable space exploration, and how these could inform terrestrial technologies to solve key environmental issues on Earth. Understanding how to use microbes to support in situ resource utilization (ISRU), bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) and waste upcycling in space. | School of Physics and Astronomy | rosa.santomartino@ed.ac.uk | |||