Applying next generation structural biology methods to bacterial vaccine production

This project will offer an exciting opportunity to learn upcoming structural biology methods, and to apply these to a vaccinology project. The key methodological focus of the project will be on nano/micro-crystal techniques (micro electron diffraction (micro-ED), X-ray micron crystal methods, and serial synchrotron radiation). The training from this PhD will make the student very competitive for industry and academic positions at the end of the project. The project will allow the student to learn methods for preparing samples, collecting data, and using this data to determine protein structures, as well as complementary experimental and computational methods for understanding the experimental data. The project will determine the structure of proteins from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia pseudomallei, and Coxiella burnetii. These pathogens cause human and animal infections worldwide. The Harmer group are part of a consortium aiming to develop a polysaccharide-based vaccine against B. pseudomallei and C. burnetii. We are determining the structures of important polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins to aid the production of a recombinant vaccine. This project will contribute to this programme and offer opportunities to work with others in the consortium. Structures will also be interrogated using modelling techniques to determine whether any proteins might act as drug targets.