We are making an impact... on health
We are decoding DNA Next-generation DNA sequencing invented by our researchers is being used world-wide to unlock the secrets of the genetic code, driving a revolution in personalised treatments for cancer, complex neurodegenerative, autoimmune and genetic disorders and rare diseases, and leading to lifechanging improvements for patients and their loved ones. An entirely new discipline of Bioinformatics has emerged and is literally rewriting our textbooks and understanding of life.
We are targeting enzymes We are using our ‘fragment-based’ approach to design enzyme-blocking molecules to develop possible treatments for tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and cancer. After using a range of techniques including X-ray crystallography to screen small molecules, or fragments, against a target enzyme, we choose the most promising fragments to synthesise successively more elaborate molecules that bind ever more tightly to the target enzyme. This approach has now been widely adopted by the pharmaceutical industry. It has resulted in a number of approved drugs including Erdafitinib, a treatment for bladder cancer that was developed clinically in a collaboration between Astex and Janssen.
Prof. Chris Abell
We are healing helixes We all know about the double helix shape of DNA – but we want to know why DNA and RNA sometimes adopt the form of quadruple helixes, known as G-quadruplexes, which are implicated in the proliferation of cancer cells. By studying these 4-strand sequences and their potential as therapeutic drug targets, we hope one day to design synthetic molecules that interfere with the mechanisms essential for the proliferation of cancer cells, in a much less toxic way than is currently possible.
Prof. Sir Shankar Balasubramanian
We are imaging toxic aggregates We are developing and applying a range of new biophysical tools to directly image biological processes down to the level of single molecules. With single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we can study and characterise many biologically important molecules and processes involved in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and the mechanism by which small aggregates spread through the brain, damaging neurons. Our experiments have revealed that the shape and size of aggregates affect their toxicity, leading to the insight that multiple therapeutic agents are needed to tackle these different toxicities as the disease progresses and the aggregates grow in size. We are now using the same methods to study the role of protein aggregation in the spread of cancer with colleagues at CRUK.
Prof. David Klenerman
We are seeking structure We are using a highly multi-disciplinary approach which includes NMR spectroscopy, ultrastructural methods and computational methods to investigate the underlying structure and chemical changes in the tissue of blood vessels that cause hardening or ‘calcification’ of arteries and veins as we age, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. With colleagues, we’ve discovered that an important biopolymer involved in new bone formation can contribute to these blockages; this information is supporting further research into possible treatments for vascular disease.
Prof. Melinda Duer
We are sensing pollution and improving health Improving air quality means improving public health, and lower healthcare and environmental costs. We have pioneered the development of low-cost ultra-small sensors and sensor networks to study urban air pollution and provide evidence regarding its effect on human health. Our collaboration with the Breathe London network of hyperlocal air quality sensors across London is demonstrating that these new technologies can monitor complex environments for compliance and health impact. These sensors can be replicated across the world at increasingly reduced costs, and we have most recently deployed networks in two of the most polluted cities in the world: Beijing and Dhakar.
Prof. Rod Jones
We are managing molecules A major roadblock in tackling Alzheimer’s disease is the lack of diagnostic tools sensitive enough to detect the disease at an early stage, before the symptoms appear and the damage is done. We are overcoming this by developing completely new technology that can detect the molecular-level interactions underlying the protein misbehaviour that causes neurodegenerative diseases. With our unique microfluidic devices, we can observe the exceptionally small and very short-lived aberrant proteins that cause Alzheimer’s and other misfolding disorders. This is leading to a new research direction with the potential to develop fast and inexpensive approaches for diagnosing protein-related diseases.
Prof. Tuomas Knowles
Support Chemistry at Cambridge: Making an impact None of our work is possible without our students, our researchers, our support staff, our alumni and our friends. The value of an education received at Cambridge, or of a scientific breakthrough , is immeasurable. Your time, your gift, or a legacy in your will can help support our work. To find out more about how to make an impact, contact Head of Department at chemhod@hermes.cam.ac.uk
www.ch.cam.ac.uk/support-chemistry/
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