Biography
Having graduated from Nottingham with a BSc in Physics in 1971, I took a year out (working as a milkman, foundry worker, teacher of English and busker) before embarking on an MSc in Chemical Physics at Surrey.
My PhD in Crystallography was completed at Surrey in early 1975 and before taking an appointment as Lecturer in Physics at Keele University in April 1986 (transferred to Life Sciences in 1999), I worked as a Research Fellow in Chemistry at Warwick and UBC Vancouver, in Physics at Keele, in Cancer Research in Birmingham Alabama, and as a support scientist at the Daresbury synchrotron radiation source (SRS).
The research at Keele included the design, construction and commissioning of the world's first dedicated Synchrotron radiation protein crystallography station at the SRS, and more recently, as part of a small UK team, development of the Laue crystallographic method for proteins and viruses. Involvement with the development of the SRS, including extended periods of part-secondment, continued until its closure in 2008. I now lead the Midlands UK Structural Biology consortium at the new UK SR source at Diamond.
Research and scholarship
My current research interests are in the structure and function of biological macromolecules with a particular emphasis on molecular structure, recognition and effector mechanisms in the innate immune system. This ancient arm of the immune system is somewhat less fashionable than the much more recently evolved adaptive, immunoglobulin-based response.
Nevertheless, its importance as a defence mechanism preserved throughout evolution is beginning to receive the attention it deserves as its roles in the recognition and clearance of foreign, and self, pathogens and its links with the antibody response become clearer. Two of the major families of innate immune proteins are the pentraxins, including C-reactive protein, and the collectins, including lung surfactant protein D. Current research is focused on various members of these two protein families from creatures as diverse as man and the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus. I am part of the Structural Biology Research Group.
Teaching
Year 1
- LSC-10034 Nature’s Tools: Proteins and Enzymes
Year 2
- LSC-20015 Molecular, Cellular & Structural Immunology
Year 3
- LSC-30016 Structural Biology & Macromolecular Function (Module manager)
- LSC-30007 Biology dissertation
- LSC-30008/35 Biochemistry Experimental Research project
- LSC-30014 Biochemistry Research project (Non-experimental)
- LSC-30015 Biology of Disease
- LSC-30023 Neuroscience Dissertation
Selected Publications
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Monomeric C-Reactive Protein in Serum With Markedly Elevated CRP Levels Shares Common Calcium-Dependent Ligand Binding Properties With an in vitro Dissociated Form of C-Reactive Protein. Front Immunol, 115, vol. 11. link> doi> full text>2020.
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Atomic-resolution crystal structures of the immune protein conglutinin from cow reveal specific interactions of its binding site with N-acetylglucosamine. J Biol Chem, 17155-17165, vol. 294(45). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Structural definition of hSP-D recognition of Salmonella enterica LPS inner core oligosaccharides reveals alternative binding modes for the same LPS. PLoS One, e0199175, vol. 13(6). link> doi> full text>2018.
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Crystal Structure of a Complex of Surfactant Protein D (SP-D) and Haemophilus influenzae Lipopolysaccharide Reveals Shielding of Core Structures in SP-D-Resistant Strains. Infect Immun, 1585-1592, vol. 84(5). link> doi> full text>2016.
- 2014.
Full Publications Listshow
Journal Articles
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Monomeric C-Reactive Protein in Serum With Markedly Elevated CRP Levels Shares Common Calcium-Dependent Ligand Binding Properties With an in vitro Dissociated Form of C-Reactive Protein. Front Immunol, 115, vol. 11. link> doi> full text>2020.
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Atomic-resolution crystal structures of the immune protein conglutinin from cow reveal specific interactions of its binding site with N-acetylglucosamine. J Biol Chem, 17155-17165, vol. 294(45). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Structural definition of hSP-D recognition of Salmonella enterica LPS inner core oligosaccharides reveals alternative binding modes for the same LPS. PLoS One, e0199175, vol. 13(6). link> doi> full text>2018.
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Crystal Structure of a Complex of Surfactant Protein D (SP-D) and Haemophilus influenzae Lipopolysaccharide Reveals Shielding of Core Structures in SP-D-Resistant Strains. Infect Immun, 1585-1592, vol. 84(5). link> doi> full text>2016.
- 2014.
- 2012.
- 2009.
- 2009.
- 2008.
- 2006.
- 2005.
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C1q and tumor necrosis factor superfamily: modularity and versatility. Trends in Immunology, 551-561, vol. 25(10). doi>2004.
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Structural and functional anatomy of the globular domain of complement protein Clq. Immunology Letters, 113-128, vol. 95(2). doi>2004.
- 2004.
- 2003.
- 2003.
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The three-dimensional structure of calcium-depleted human C-reactive protein from perfectly twinned crystals. Acta Crystallographica, Section D. doi>2002.
- 2002.
- 2001.
- 1999.
- 1997.
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Site-directed mutagenesis of the phosphocholine-binding site of human C-reactive protein: role of Thr76 and Trp67. J Immunol, 345-350, vol. 158(1). link>1997.
- 1996.
- 1996.
- 1994.
- 1994.
- 1994.
- 1993.
- 1990.
- 1990.
- 1990.
- 1990.
- 1990.
- 1989.
- 1987.
- 1987.
- 1986.
- 1985.
- 1985.
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CARBABORANE DERIVATIVES OF THE LATE-TRANSITION AND POST-TRANSITION ELEMENTS .3. STRUCTURAL CONSEQUENCES OF LIGAND SUBSTITUTION IN PALLADADICARBADODECABORANES 3-L2-3,1,2-PDC2B9H11 - THE CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURES OF 3-[ME2N(CH2)2NME2]-3,1,2-PDC2B9H11 AND 3-(PME3)2-3,1,2-PDC2B9H11. JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-DALTON TRANSACTIONS, 761-769. link> doi>1985.
- 1985.
- 1985.
- 1984.
- 1983.
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CRYSTAL-LATTICE CONTROL OF UNIMOLECULAR PHOTO-REARRANGEMENTS - MEDIUM-DEPENDENT PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF CYCLOHEXENONES. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 56-ORGN, vol. 185(MAR). link>1983.
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OSCILLATION CAMERA DATA-PROCESSING .3. GENERAL DIFFRACTION SPOT SIZE, SHAPE AND ENERGY PROFILE - FORMALISM FOR POLYCHROMATIC DIFFRACTION EXPERIMENTS WITH MONOCHROMATIZED SYNCHROTRON X-RADIATION FROM A SINGLY BENT TRIANGULAR MONOCHROMATOR. JOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, 242-250, vol. 16(APR). link> doi>1983.
- 1983.
- 1982.
- 1982.
- 1982.
- 1982.
- 1981.
- 1981.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1980.
- 1979.
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7,8-DICARBA-9-ARSA-NIDO-UNDECABORANE(11) AND RELATED COMPOUNDS. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH-S, 248. link>1979.
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CARBABORANE DERIVATIVES OF THE LATE-TRANSITION AND POST-TRANSITION ELEMENTS .2. DICARBAUNDECABORANYL COMPOUNDS OF COPPER(I), GOLD(I), AND MERCURY(II) - CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF 3-TRIPHENYL-PHOSPHINE-3-MERCURA-1,2-DICARBADODECABORANE(II), A PSEUDO-SIGMA-BONDED METALLACARBABORANE. JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-DALTON TRANSACTIONS, 619-628. link> doi>1979.
- 1979.
- 1979.
- 1979.
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ORGANIC-PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN THE SOLID-STATE. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 17. link>1979.
- 1979.
- 1979.
- 1979.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1978.
- 1977.
- 1977.
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PROGRESSIVE CAGE-OPENING IN D6, D8, D10, AND D10S2 METALLACARBABORANES - CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURES OF 3-TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINO-3-MERCURA-1,2-DICARBADODECABORANE AND TRIPHENYLMETHYLPHOSPHONIUM 3-THALLA-1,2-DICARBADODECABORATE. JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, 737-738. link> doi>1977.
- 1976.
Other
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Anti-ovarian cancer activities of alkaloids from Triclisia subcordata olive (Menispermecaea). PLANTA MEDICA (p. 813, vol. 80). link>2014.
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Anticancer activities of cyclotides from Viola yedeonsis Makino (Violaceae). PLANTA MEDICA (p. 818, vol. 80). link>2014.
- 2013.
- 2013.
- 2013.
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Structural basis of ligand and pathogen recognition by the collectins. Acta Crystallographica Section A: Foundations of Crystallography (p. C472, vol. A67). doi>2011.
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Structure, function and evolution of the serum pentraxins. Acta Crystallographica Section A: Foundations of Crystallography (p. C546, vol. A67). doi>2011.
- 2005.
- 2005.
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Pentraxin-like serum proteins from common carp \fI(Cyprinus carpio)\fP. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of the European Association of Fish Pathologists.2003.
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Pentraxin-like serum proteins from common carp \fI(Cyprinus carpio)\fP. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of the European Association of Fish Pathologists.2003.
- 2002.
- 2002.
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Isolation of C-reactive protein from the common carp \fI(Cyprinius carpio)\fP. Proceedings of the International Conference of the European Association of Fish Pathologists.2001.
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Isolation of C-reactive protein from the common carp \fI(Cyprinius carpio)\fP. Proceedings of the International Conference of the European Association of Fish Pathologists.2001.
- 1999.
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STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND EVOLUTION OF SERUM PENTRAXINS FROM INVERTEBRATES TO HUMANS. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA A-FOUNDATION AND ADVANCES (p. 355, vol. 55). link>1999.
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THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF AN INVERTEBRATE PENTRAXIN-LECTIN WITH A NOVEL MOLECULAR ASSEMBLY. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA A-FOUNDATION AND ADVANCES (p. 197, vol. 55). link>1999.
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THE STRUCTURE OF CALCIUM-DEPLETED HUMAN C-REACTIVE PROTEIN FROM PERFECTLY TWINNED CRYSTALS. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA A-FOUNDATION AND ADVANCES (p. 350, vol. 55). link>1999.
- 1996.
- 1996.
- 1989.
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X-Ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZQY. doi>
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X-Ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZR4. doi>
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X-Ray diffraction data relating to protein structure PDB ID: 6RYM. Synchrotron station SRS 14.1, Daresbury SRS 14.1doi>
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X-ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZQR. doi>
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X-ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZQX. doi>
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X-ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZR0. doi>
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X-ray diffraction data for structure associated with PDB ID: 6ZR3. doi>