Biophysical Sciences Institute

History of Crystallography on BBC Radio 4

Professor Judith Howard

Professor Judith Howard recently featured on the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time. The programme which was dedicated to the history of crystallography and its impact was broadcast on 29 November and can be downloaded from http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/iot.

(8 Feb 2013)

Durham BBS Speaker Awarded Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to the opening speaker of the 2012 British Biophysical Society conference held in Durham in July 2012.  Prof. Brian Kobilka (Stanford University) has been jointly awarded the 2012 Chemistry Nobel Prize with Prof. Robert Lefkowitz (Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Duke University, Durham, North Carolina) for their work on the identification and study of G-coupled receptors.

(11 Oct 2012) » More about Durham BBS Speaker Awarded Nobel Prize

The development of 19F-NMR as a tool for analysing steroid degradation in anti-doping samples

The Leverhulme Trust has awarded funding to Dr Steven Cobb (Chemistry, BSI) and Dr. Cormac Murphy (University College Dublin) to develop a new method to combat the possibility of false positive or false negative results being obtained in anti-doping samples collected from Althletes.

(1 Jun 2012) » More about The development of 19F-NMR as a tool for analysing steroid degradation in anti-doping samples

Funding was given to two projects in the recent BSI Dragons' Den event.

(30 Mar 2012) » More about Funding was given to two projects in the recent BSI Dragons' Den event.

Recent Joint Publication for IMRS and the BSI

A three-dimensional color space from the 13th century.  Smithson HE, Dinkova-Bruun G, Gasper GE, Huxtable M, McLeish TC, Panti C. doi: 10.1364/JOSAA.29.00A346. This publication is from the Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies' Ordered Universe project and was contributed to by Prof. McLeish. 

(26 Mar 2012)

BSI Research to be Presented in Parliament:

Final year PhD student Frances Chadbourne has been selected to present in Parliament at SET for Britain.  Frances, who works on an interdisciplinary project led by Steven Cobb (Chemistry) and Paul Denny (School of Medicine and Health), has been selected to present her research on the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis.

(9 Mar 2012) » More about BSI Research to be Presented in Parliament:

Dragons' Den Networking Event

The 7th of March saw the Dragons' Den Networking Event.  The next event in the Dragons' Den scheme will be the Dragons' Den itself which will be held Tuesday 27 March, in the IAS Seminar Room, Cosin's Hall, Palace Green.   Applications are welcome from all early career stage researchers/academics.

(8 Mar 2012) » More about Dragons' Den Networking Event

'What's working'

Jeff Weedman (Procter & Gamble Global Business Development Vice President) recently presented Durham University and the Biophysical Sciences Institute (BSI) as a global leader in multidisciplinary research in the US Congress.  During the presentation made to the 50 US State Governors, he stated that UK Universities are "More competitive, they are more aggressive and they are more forward thinking" than their US counterparts.  He then named Durham University as the exemplar for industrial engagement and praised the 'Fascinating' approach taken by the Durham Biophysical Sciences Institute.  The presentation was part of the National Governor Association conference: Creating and Entrepreneurial Culture, and can be seen via C-SPAN (http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/304528-3 relevant section at 37-45 minutes). 

(28 Feb 2012)

Physical Sciences workshop strikes gold

A collaboration between the BSI's Steven Cobb, Dr Sarah Haigh (Manchester) and Dr Martyn McLachlan (Imperial) was recently featured in EPSRC News (Physical Sciences workshop strikes gold).

(27 Feb 2012) » More about Physical Sciences workshop strikes gold

2012 BSI Summer Bursaries

Applications are now being accepted for 2012 BSI Summer Bursaries.  Bursaries are aimed at undergraduates who are currently in their penultimate year of study and offer funding for 6-8 weeks of biophysical research over the summer vacation.

The closing date for applications is 12:00pm on 23^rd March 2012. 

(23 Feb 2012)

Recent BSI Publication

Peptide-Lipid Reactivity in Membranes.  R H Dods, J A Mosely, J M Sanderson, Biophysical Journal, Volume 102, Issue 3, Supplement 1, 31 January 2012, Pages 491a-492a.

(23 Feb 2012)

How the Physical Sciences can Enhance Life Science Research

In a further change to the programme for How the Physical Sciences can Enhance Life Science Research, Dr Rachel McKendry (UCL) will be replaced by the BSI's John Girkin who will present Biophotonics: a marriage of science.  For more information please visit the How the Physical Sciences can Enhance Life Science Research event page. 

(8 Feb 2012)

Recent BSI Publication

Comparative ageing behaviour of commercial, unworn and worn 3Y-TZP and zirconia-toughened alumina hip joint heads.  Douillard T, Chevalier J, Descamps-MandineA, Warner I, Galais Y, WhitakerP, Wu J, Wang Q.  Journal of the European Ceramic Society, Available online 1 February 2012: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2012.01.003. 

(8 Feb 2012)

Recent BSI Publication

A nucleotide phosphatase activity in the nucleotide binding domain of an orphan resistance protein from rice. Fenyk S, de San Eustaquio Campillo A, Pohl E, Hussey PJ, Cann MJ. J Biol Chem. 2011 Dec 8. [Epub ahead of print]

(18 Jan 2012)

Recent BSI Publication

Cyanobacterial metallochaperone inhibits deleterious side reactions of copper. Tottey S, Patterson C, Banci L, BertiniI, FelliI C, PavelkovaA, DaintyS J, PernilR, Waldron K J, Foster  A W, Robinson N J, PNAS, 2011, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1117515109.

(18 Jan 2012)

Recent BSI Publication

Synthesis and molecular structure of a perfluorinated pyridyl carbanion. Colgin N, Tatum N J, Pohl E, Cobb S L, Sandford G, Journal of Fluorine Chemistry 133 (2012) 33-37.

(18 Jan 2012)

Durham International Research and Enterprise Fellowships

The closing date for Durham International Fellowships for Research and Enterprise is fast approaching.   The closing date for Addison Wheeler and Junior Research Fellowships is is 20 January 2012, and the closing date for Senior Research Fellowships is 27 January 2012.

For further information on all of the fellowships, please visit the DIFeREns website.

(12 Dec 2011)

Latest BSI Newsletter

To read the latest BSI newsletter please click here.  Articles include Fight for Sight: Improving the Success of Cataract Surgery; Structural Biology: A Platform for Copper Pumps; BSI-led Research Enters Alzheimer's Clinical Trial.  To contribute an article or suggest a topic please contact admin.bsi@durham.ac.uk.    

(28 Nov 2011)

Durham International Research and Enterprise Fellowships

The second round of the Durham International Fellowships for Research and Enterprise (DIFeREns) is now open for applications. 

(25 Nov 2011) » More about Durham International Research and Enterprise Fellowships

Bridging the Gaps

The BSI has secured £40,000 from the EPSRC Bridging the Gaps grant. The funding will be broken down into a £30K Seedcorn fund for BSI projects; a £7K Dragon's Den forum, for young researchers' innovative ideas and £3K to fund bursaries for Ph.D. students to attend conferences. Visit the dedicated web page for details of how to apply for these funds.

(21 Nov 2011)

Chemical Synthesis of Chemokines

A EPSRC KTA (worth £24K) has been awarded to Ehmke Pohl and Steven Cobb for their project in collaboration with Cambridge Research Biochemicals (CRB). They will investigate synthetic ways of producing the human chemokines family of proteins.

(16 Nov 2011) » More about Chemical Synthesis of Chemokines

Podcast Opportunities

The BSI has been asked to contribute to Durham University podcasts which are aimed at disseminating cutting edge Durham research.

(16 Nov 2011) » More about Podcast Opportunities

The BSI Welcome Reception and Poster Session

The 19^th of October saw the first BSI event of the new academic year for the rapidly growing biophysical research community.  Both current BSI members and those interested in becoming involved in biophysical research attended the Welcome Reception and Poster Session. 

The highlight of the meeting was the enthusiasm of all involved in the poster session which showed the diverse range of research within the BSI.   

To view the power point presentation used by John Girkin at the Welcome Reception please visit the About the BSI page.

(20 Oct 2011)

MSc in Biophysical Sciences

The BSI is introducing a new Masters course for 2012.

The one-year postgraduate course is designed to provide physical scientists and engineers with research skills in the life sciences. 

Contact: admin.bsi@durham.ac.uk

(7 Oct 2011) » More about MSc in Biophysical Sciences

Structural biology: A platform for copper pumps

Professor Nigel Robinson has been invited to contribute to the journal Nature, (2011, 475, 41-42).  Further details about his article can be found below:

Copper is vital to most cells, but too much is lethal. The structure of a protein that pumps copper ions out of the cytosol provides insight into both the pumping mechanism and how certain mutations in the protein cause disease. Click here to access the full article. 

(16 Sep 2011)

Synthetic Polymers for Simultaneous Bacterial Sequestration and Quorum Sense Interference.

Xue X, Pasparakis G, Halliday N, Winzer K, Howdle S M, Cramphorn C J,  Cameron N R, Gardner P, Davis B G, Fernández-Trillo F, Alexander C,  Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 50 (2011). 

(16 Sep 2011) » More about Synthetic Polymers for Simultaneous Bacterial Sequestration and Quorum Sense Interference.

Three-dimensional displays: a review and applications analysis

Holliman N S, Dodgson N A, Favalora G E, Pockett L, invited paper in IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting, June 2011, 57 ( 2), 1-10.

(16 Sep 2011)

The BSI welcomes 2011 Ewald Prize winners

The BSI was pleased to welcome the 2011 Ewald Prize winners George Sheldrick and Eleanor Dodson, to the 2010 Feldberg prize Lecture and Dinner.  The Ewald prize is awarded by the IUCR every three years for outstanding contributions to the science of crystallography. 

(19 Apr 2011) » More about Ewald Prize winners

Wellcome Trust Grant: Colour appearance in a dynamic world

The BSI members Nick Holliman and Hannah Smithson were awarded the three year Wellcome Trust project grant to investigate the importance of visual signals that change over time in the perception of texture. 

(19 Apr 2011) » More about Wellcome Trust Grant: Colour appearance in a dynamic world

BSI Summer Bursaries

The closing date for the BSI Summer Bursary Scheme has now passed.  There was a good response to this programme, and many interesting bursary applications have been received. 

(24 Mar 2011) » More about BSI Summer Bursaries