School of Biosciences

Protein Technology Research

Our Protein Technology Hub provides expertise and facilities for all aspects of protein expression, purification, and the analysis of protein structure, function and interactions.

Equipment and services

Protein expression

The Protein Research Hub is home to a number of facilities which support protein expression applications:

Expression vectors and host organisms
Prokaryotic protein expression facilities
Eukaryotic protein expression facilities (mammalian, yeast and insect cell culture)

Protein purification

Researchers can access the following protein purification facilities:

FPLC facility (Akta Pure 25, Akta Explorer, Akta Prime Plus, Akta Start FPLC systems). Full training is provided.
Preparative gel electrophoresis (Bio-Rad prep cell)

Protein analysis

The Hub is equipped with state-of-the-art protein analysis instruments:

BMG Clariostar monochromator microplate reader
- Measures absorbance, fluorescence and luminescence in 96- or 384-well plates
- Continuously adjustable bandwidths (8 to 100 nm) and wavelengths (320 to 850 nm) for absorbance and fluorescence scanning and custom excitation/emission selection
- Equipped with 2 sample injectors allowing rapid measurements (eg calcium assays)
LiCor Odyssey CLx infra-red fluorescence scanner
- Quantitative Western blotting and gel analysis
- In-cell Western blot measures protein levels from fixed cells in multi-well plates (ideal for cell line generation or siRNA screening)
Malvern MicroV zetasizer light scattering and refractive index detector
- Measures protein size, concentration and molecular mass following gel filtration chromatography; measures protein size in batch mode

Other facilities available in the hub include cell disruption, a cuvette fluorimeter, and protein analysis using transmission electron microscopy.

Cardiff University Dynamics, Structural Sciences and Biophysics Network (CUDSSBN)

This network enables information sharing for molecular dynamics, molecular biophysical analysis and structure determination including protein expression, purification, crystallisation, EM sample preparation, cryoEM and computational analysis of biomolecules. Spanning across the University, the network facilitates collaboration between experts across the Schools, as well as external guest structural scientists and molecular biophysicists.

If you would like to find out more about the network please contact Dr Georgina Menzies (group coordination and molecular dynamics), Dr Ben Bax or Dr Pierre Rizkallah (crystallography) or for molecular biophysics please contact Dr Niek Buurma (molecular biophysics).

GW4 Facility for High-Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy

Based at the University of Bristol. this facility provides academic and industrial researchers with access to state-of-the-art high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy tools and equipment. Click here to find out more.

Limited Use for Collection of Initial Data (LUCID) Scheme

The University of Bristol is offering a limited allocation of complimentary cryoEM sessions to academic leaders within the GW4 region (Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter). The objective of this program is to enable researchers who intend to integrate cryo-EM into their projects, but require initial data to showcase their feasibility for future cryo-EM grant submissions.

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply.