We have published a new approach to super-resolution imaging in live cells. Entitled "LIVE-PAINT", the method was developed in collaboration with Lynne Regan's lab in the School of Biology. LIVE-PAINT takes advantage of peptide-protein interactions; the protein-of-interest is tagged with a short peptide sequence, which has a binding partner fused to a fluorescence protein. As the fluorescent protein and peptide transiently bind, a fluorescent burst results, and this is accurately pinpointed with nanometre accuracy. Repeated binding events allow a super-resolution image to be built from this. 

Well done to Katie who has passed her first year viva!

A recent paper has been published in Cell Death and Differentiation on a mechanism of cell death caused by alpha-synuclein oligomers in Parkinson's disease. In a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, UCL, The Crick Institute, the University of Aberdeen, the University of New York, and the University of Cambridge, the paper describes how oligomers lead to lipid peroxidation, which causes cell death via ferroptosis. 

Huge congratulations to Sarah Aitken who submitted the dissertation on her work done throughout her final year at Edinburgh. Working with Mike Daniels in Barry McColl's lab, Sarah used single-molecule methods to characterise the aggregation of amyloid beta, and also looked at the response of immune cells to the toxic oligomers formed. 

On the 1st May, Mathew presented the groups research to the EASTBIO World Class Underpinning Bioscience group. Due to the isolation rules relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this was done via teleconferencing, and so a recording of the presentation was also made. This is accessible on this website.

Mathew recently presented the ESMB's work to the Parkinson's UK Edinburgh Research Interest Group. He was joined by Craig and Alex from the group, and also Kiani Jeacock from David Clarke's research group. The event was well-attended by those living with Parkinson's and their carers, and gave us the opportunity to talk about the strives we're making in understanding how protein aggregation occurs.

We have a number of PhD positions available in 2020. Check out Positions for more information.

The group had an excellent time attending the SULSA conference in Edinburgh. Mathew gave a presentation on the group's recent work (which was faithfully recorded by  Dr. Mathis Riehle from the University of Glasgow- see below), whilst Craig and Alex presented posters on their work on alpha-synuclein. 

The Edinburgh single-molecule biophysics group is happy to welcome Katie, Zoë and Sarah. Katie has started her Ph.D. working with Mathew and Seth Grant on elucidating the structure of post-synaptic complexes, whilst Zoë's Ph.D. project is joint with Lynne Regan and focuses on developing a new super-resolution microscopy method. Sarah is a fifth year Chemistry student, and will be working on the peptides associated with Alzheimer's disease. 

We'd like to express our gratitude once again for the continued support from Dr. Jim Love. His financial support last time allowed us to build a single-molecule confocal microscope that is now being used to study the protein aggregates that are formed during the progression of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. We will use this gift to further support our research, and in particular will use it to enhance our equipment within the laboratory.