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Alan Cooper
Professor of Biophysical Chemistry


Research Interests


Research activities in this multidisciplinary group concentrate on the energetics and mechanism of fundamental processes in biological macromolecules and living systems, utilising sensitive biophysical instrumentation coupled with advanced molecular biology techniques. Much of this work is in close collaboration with colleagues from other disciplines. Click here for list of publications. Topics include:

Froth, Foam and Bubble: The biophysical chemistry and potential applications of foamy biological secretions. A Sir Henry Wellcome Commemorative project (in collaboration with Malcolm Kennedy, IBLS), also funded in part by BBSRC, allowed us to initiate studies into the macromolecular structure and properties of foam nests of tropical frogs. Click here for more details - or view the Trinidad foam collection expeditions. This has led to discoveries of new surfactant proteins and lectins (ranaspumins), and a new indophenol-like chromophore/crosslink in a blue protein, ranasmurfin, from the foam nests of a Malaysian tree frog.

For an overview, see the nice article by Michael Gross in the June 2009 edition of Chemistry World ... ....or listen to the Chemistry World podcast

Protein Folding, Misfolding, and Aggregation: Studies on the energetics and mechanism of protein folding, misfolding and aggregation using sensitive differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, PPC) and related biophysical techniques.

Fundamentals of Biomolecular Forces: Experimental and theoretical investigation of the physical basis of non-covalent forces in biomolecules, using microcalorimetry, pressure perturbation calorimetry, isotope substitution and other methods. Thermodynamics of hydrogen-bonded lattices.

Microcalorimetry: This laboratory was established as the BBSRC/EPSRC Biological Microcalorimetry Facility for the UK, equipped with Microcal VP-DSC, VP-ITC, and PPC instruments available to external users in addition to our own projects.

Parasitic Nematode Proteins: Structure and function investigations of a major family of allergenic proteins from parasitic worms with important fatty acid and retinoid binding properties, using fluorescence probes and other biophysical methods (in collaboration with Malcolm Kennedy , IBLS). Molecular models of some of these proteins have been produced in collaboration with Jeremy Beauchamp.

Protein-Protein and Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions: Determination of the thermodynamics of important interactions between biological macromolecules, including microcalorimetry of DNA-repressor, RNA-viral capsid, multi-enzyme subunit and cell surface protein complexes.

Protein-Cyclodextrin Interactions: The effects of cyclodextrins on the stability of folded proteins and protein-protein interactions, including possible roles as "chaperone mimics" in the control of protein folding.

Molecular Recognition in Peptide Antibiotics: Measurement of the interaction forces responsible for receptor binding and ligand-induced intermolecular associations in vancomycin and related peptide antibiotics, using isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC) and spectroscopic methods.

Grant support: BBSRC, EPSRC, Wellcome Trust, SKB, Pfizer, GlaxoWellcome, and others.

Click here for recent publications.


Biophysical Chemistry Group meeting (Ben A'an - 2003)


Where are they now ? (Some past and present members of the group):-


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