Oxford University, Structural Bioinformatics & Computational Biochemistry Unit
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Welcome to the Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry Unit


We are interested in using computational methods to explore the relationship between structure and function in membrane proteins. This is important, as membrane proteins account for ~25% of all genes, and play key roles in the physiology of cells. Indeed, membrane proteins are targets for ~50% of drugs, and mutations in membrane proteins may result in diseases ranging from diabetes to cystic fibrosis.

Computer simulations allow membrane proteins to 'come alive' - that is, we can simulate the motions of membrane proteins and use this to explore the relationship between (static) structure and dynamic function. This is relevant to a number of areas ranging from biomedicine to nanotechnology.

Follow the links above to find out more about who we are and the work that we do.


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Latest Publications:

Bavro, V.N., De Zorti, R., Schmidt, M.R., Muniz, J.R., Zubcevic, L., Sansom M.S. Venien-Bryan, C. Tucker, S.G. (2012)
Structure of a KirBac potassium channel with an open bundle crossing indicates a mechanism of channel gating.
Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. (abstract)

Munz M. and Biggin P.C. (2011)
JGromacs: a java package for analysing protein simulations.
J. Chem. Inf. Model. (abstract)

Pongprayoon, P., Beckstein, O., and Sansom M.S. (2011)
Biomimetic Design of a Brush-Like Nanopore: Simulation Studies.
J. Phys. Chem. B (abstract)

Stansfeld, P.J., and Sansom, M.S. (2011)
Molecular simulation approaches to membrane proteins.
Structure 19, 1562-1572 (abstract)

Hall, B.A., Armitage, J.P., and Sansom, M.S. (2011)
Transmembrane helix dynamics of bacterial chemoreceptors supports a piston model of signalling.
PLoS Comput. Biol. 7, e1002204 (abstract)

Kalli, A.C., Hall, B.A., Campbell, I.D., and Sansom, M.S. (2011)
A helix heterodimer in a lipid bilayer: Prediction of the structure of an integrin transmembrane domain by multiscale simulations.
Structure 19, 1477-1484 (abstract)

Lumb, C.N., He, J., Xue, Y., Stansfeld, P.J., Stahelin, R.V., Kutateladze, T.G., and Sansom, M.S. (2011)
Biophysical and computational studies of membrane penetration by the GRP1 pleckstrin homology domain.
Structure 19, 1338-1346 (abstract)

More SBCB publications available from PubMed




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Last updated 20 January 2012