The Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Studies Centre’s research divisions – Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry (PNAC) and Structural Studies – work together as a close-knit community. Each Division has its own strengths and strategic goals but they all aim to understand biological processes at the molecular level, using methods drawn from physics, chemistry and genetics.
The divisions are complemented by the chemistry-orientated Centre for Chemical and Synthetic Biology (CCSB) set up to provide the resources needed to drive synthetic biology forward.
The Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology specializes in the applications of cell and molecular biology techniques and research models with higher-level organization such as cell lines, tissues, organs, and whole animal models to elucidate the roles of genes in development. Students are trained in a wide variety of techniques that hone them into well-rounded individuals prepared for careers in research and molecular biology and biotechnology.
Research covers a variety of topics that include isolation, expression, and characterization of anthozoan fluorescent proteins and venomous peptides from marine snails, genetic analysis of mouse hyperactivity, nanomaterials in cancer research, and the optimization of scaffolds in neural precursor cell cultures.
The Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory was founded in 2001. The laboratory’s main interests are the functional characterization of novel non-hotspot mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors, as well as the regulatory roles of lncRNAs, microRNAs and circRNAs in cancer pathogenesis. The laboratory is also part of a nationwide drug discovery consortium and runs a laboratory services arm.
The laboratory offers students opportunities to acquire basic and advanced laboratory skills in molecular and cellular biology — from gene manipulation, RT-qPCR/quantigene assays, reporter and cell-based assays, through to immunocytochemistry, fluorescence and time-lapse microscopy, flow cytometry and high-content imaging.
Established in 2005, the Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory is devoted to studying the role of hormones in the development of the nervous system, hormone-dependent cancers, and in remodelling the epigenome. The laboratory uses cultured mouse and human cell model systems, along with advanced molecular biology assays including reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), lentiviral transduction, and next generation sequencing to investigate the molecular mechanisms of hormone action at the transcriptional level.
Established in 2005, the Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory is devoted to studying the role of hormones in the development of the nervous system, hormone-dependent cancers, and in remodelling the epigenome. The laboratory uses cultured mouse and human cell model systems, along with advanced molecular biology assays including reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), lentiviral transduction, and next generation sequencing to investigate the molecular mechanisms of hormone action at the transcriptional level.
Biomedicine lies at the interface of basic and preclinical research and investigates the fundamental mechanisms of the normal and disease processes that influence life-long health - spanning from conception into old age, and from the single cell to the whole organism in its environment.
We are committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. We are dedicated to providing our students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse faculty who excel in their respective fields. Our aim is to develop in each member of the MBBSC community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the advancement of humankind.