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MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit

 
Read more at: Michal Minczuk collaborates with Venki Ramakrishnan on ribosomal rescue in human mitochondria

Michal Minczuk collaborates with Venki Ramakrishnan on ribosomal rescue in human mitochondria

27 November 2020

Venki Ramakrishnan (MRC LMB) and his research group, in a collaboration with Michal Minczuk , obtained cryo-EM structures of mitorobosomes purified from human cell line known to have a high propensity for ribosome stalling. This cellular model was generated by Michal’s group as a part of the PhD project of Sarah Pearce ...


Read more at: Milo Keynes Prize awarded to Pedro Guiomar

Milo Keynes Prize awarded to Pedro Guiomar

24 November 2020

Pedro Guiomar has been awarded the Milo Keynes Prize for the academic year 2019–20, in recognition of the very high quality of his PhD thesis entitled “The role of RNA modifications in mitochondrial translation”. The Milo Keynes Prize is awarded by the Degree Committee for the Faculties of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary...


Read more at: Professor Judy Hirst appointed Director of the MRC MBU

Professor Judy Hirst appointed Director of the MRC MBU

23 November 2020

From the Regius Professor of Physic and Dr Rob Buckle, Chief Science Officer at the MRC On behalf of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the University of Cambridge, we are delighted to announce that Professor Judy Hirst has been appointed as the next Director of the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit. Judy has been the...


Read more at: World Mitochondrial Disease Week

World Mitochondrial Disease Week

13 September 2020

mito-facts6.jpg This week, 13-19 September 2020 is World Mitochondrial Disease Week . An initiative of International Mito Patients (IMP), World Mitochondrial Disease Week raises awareness of mitochondrial disease (mito) on a global scale through educational, fundraising and advocacy activities. As we have not been able to...


Read more at: John Walker's group solves the structure of the dimeric ATP synthase from bovine mitochondria at atomic resolution

John Walker's group solves the structure of the dimeric ATP synthase from bovine mitochondria at atomic resolution

9 September 2020

Tobias Spikes, Martin Montgomery and John Walker have solved the atomic resolution structure of dimeric ATP synthase from bovine mitochondria by cryo-electron microscopy. The ATP synthases are complex molecular machines embedded in the inner membranes of mitochondria where they produce almost all the ATP required to...


Read more at: MBU volunteers involved in Covid-19 testing

MBU volunteers involved in Covid-19 testing

7 September 2020

Volunteers from the MBU have been involved in the collaborative COVID-19 testing operation, based at the Cambridge Testing Centre in Partnership with AstraZeneca and GSK. Charis Goodyear has been talking to volunteers from across the Biomedical Campus, who joined the testing team when they were not able to carry out their...


Read more at: MitoQ can prevent heart disease before birth

MitoQ can prevent heart disease before birth

19 August 2020

The results of a research study involving MitoQ – a mitochondrial antioxidant developed by the MBU’s Professor Mike Murphy , who also participated in the research study, have been published in Science Advances .


Read more at: Mitochondrial complex I structure reveals ordered water molecules for catalysis and proton translocation

Mitochondrial complex I structure reveals ordered water molecules for catalysis and proton translocation

3 August 2020

dsc_0068_dan-lab2-web.png These exciting results of research carried out in the MBU’s Mitochondrial Complex I Group, led by Professor Judy Hirst , have been published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology . Daniel Grba, PhD student and first author, gives this overview of the key findings: Using single-particle cryo...


Read more at: MRC Cambridge Activity Book

MRC Cambridge Activity Book

7 July 2020

UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC) scientists in Cambridge are studying all the different ways that medical science can help protect our health and improve our lives. This activity book is for people of all ages to explore the variety of MRC-funded work that takes place in Cambridge. Our work involves examining everything...


Read more at: Potential for nanovesicles to sustain artificial cells

Potential for nanovesicles to sustain artificial cells

16 June 2020

The results of a research project entitled, “ Bottom-Up Construction of a Minimal System for Cellular Respiration and Energy Regeneration ” have been published in ACS Synthetic Biology. This research was carried out at the MBU, in the Complex I Group, led by Professor Judy Hirst . It describes the bottom-up assembly and...