New Projects

Oligosaccharide-receptor interactions in bacterial pathogenecity

Streptococcus species are important Gram-positive pathogens that cause meningitis, septicemia and pneumonia in humans. The attachment of bacteria to permissive cells is thought to involve complementary binding partners: cell surface bacterial adhesins bind to carbohydrate epitopes that are carried by human cell surface glycolipids. To examine further this relationship we have characterised at least one potential adhesin, a bacterial cell surface hexosaminidase, and can now follow the binding reaction using inhibitors to glycolipid biosynthesis.

Phasmid Genome Cloning Project

Keeping phasmids is just a hobby, not a serious project! (probably wouldn't get funding anyway). My friend here is a Kokoro insect, Heteropteryx dilata.

As lab pets we keep some Extatosoma tiatatum, some of which have laid eggs that provide live nymphs. For more information check out the Phasmid Study Group.