School of Optometry and Vision Sciences

Research Interests

My research interests are in the biophysical and biochemical properties of the transparent front-of-the-eye tissues, cornea and lens. Of particular interest is how changes in the molecular organisation of the component proteins of these tissues can lead to loss of transparency (i.e. cataract formation in the case of the lens).

Most recently, my research has been focused on the main constituent lens protein alpha-crystallin. It is a member of the small heat-shock protein family and is a molecular chaperone. One of its functions within the lens is to protect other (target) proteins from unfolding. Using X-ray scattering techniques at the Daresbury synchrotron (Warrington, UK) and neutron diffraction at the ILL, (Grenoble, France) I have been investigation the structural relationship between alpha-crystallin and the target proteins found in the lens during chaperone activity. Currently this research has moved forward to investigate changes in the structure and function of these proteins with ageing processes such as glycation and oxidation. This work is being funded by the Research into Ageing charity and been conducted in collaboration with Prof. John Harding of the University of Oxford.

Alpha-crystallin also occurs in all the major body tissues and plays an important role in protein mis-folding diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and in other neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis. In collaboration with Prof John Carver of Adelaide University, we are presently investigating the structural interactions between alpha-crystallin and a wide variety of extra-lenticular target proteins, including amyloidal forming systems.

Collaborators.

• Prof John Harding, Oxford University, UK
• Dr Gunter Grossmann, Daresbury, UK
• Dr Peter Timmins, ILL, Grenoble, France
• Prof Stuart Hodson, Oxford University, UK
• Prof Gerald Elliott, Oxford University, UK
• Prof John Carver, Adelaide University, Australia