Self-Assembly of Bioactive Lipopeptides

We are investigating the relationship between bioactivity and self-assembly of peptides involved in a number of diseases including Alzheimers, immune diseases and infectious diseases. Our group has discovered remarkable nanostructures from several peptides involved in diseases or used as therapeutic agents and these may play a role in the interaction of the peptide with binding sites in vivo. From another perspective, aggregation can be used as means to deliver the peptide in a stable nanosized form. Projects are available in the area of peptide diagnostics and therapeutics. This involves studying the aggregation properties of peptides using spectroscopic, microscopic and x-ray scattering developments. Peptide synthesis facilities are also available for projects involving peptide synthesis. We are also developing new molecules based on conjugates of peptides with lipids, polymers and sugars and projects are available in this area.

http://www.reading.ac.uk/chemistry/about/staff/i-w-hamley.aspx