This research investigates a new targeted treatment strategy for kidney cancer by inhibiting the cancer-promoting protein PIM1 while enhancing TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Together with the FDA-approved drug ONC201, this combination restores cancer cells' ability to self-destruct, offering a promising therapeutic approach now being evaluated in preclinical studies.

This research introduces the first simple mathematical model capable of capturing the cooperative folding of alpha helices, a fundamental protein structure. By revealing how these proteins fold, stabilize, and misfold, the model offers new insights into diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's while providing a fast, flexible platform for protein research.

This research engineers DNA-modified exosomes to deliver drugs precisely to cancer cells while avoiding healthy tissue. By disguising natural cell-targeting signals and adding programmable DNA targeting molecules, the platform could reduce treatment side effects and provide a modular delivery system adaptable to many cancers and other diseases.

This research investigates how Pseudomonas aeruginosa adapts to drinking water systems before causing human infections. By identifying a previously unknown gene essential for biofilm formation and survival, the work provides new insight into how dangerous bacteria prepare for infection and reveals potential targets for preventing disease before it develops.

This research develops gold nanoparticles coated with peptides to block DNA repair in colorectal cancer cells, helping overcome drug resistance. Laboratory studies show the treatment dramatically reduces cancer cell survival after radiation while minimising toxicity. The approach could provide a safer, more effective therapy for colorectal cancer and other drug-resistant cancers.

This research investigates salivary gland damage caused by radiation therapy, disease and ageing. Focusing on cellular regulation, she identifies XBP1 as a key “manager” maintaining gland structure, cell survival and saliva production. Understanding this mechanism could guide future therapies for patients living with painful, incurable salivary gland dysfunction.

This research uses a high-throughput screening platform called EpiScan to identify HIV peptides that bind strongly to MHC molecules and appear on infected cell surfaces. By discovering these immune-visible targets, the work aims to improve detection and elimination of hidden HIV reservoirs, supporting the development of future HIV therapies.

This research investigates how glutamine-rich regions within the LAG-3 protein influence Notch signaling, a critical pathway for cell communication and development. Using CRISPR gene editing, the study found that removing glutamine repeats alters stem cell behavior and cell-cycle progression, providing insights relevant to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and future therapies.

This research investigates how misfolded Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP), a protein associated with Type 2 diabetes, affects blood clot formation. Laboratory experiments showed that misfolded IAPP creates unusually dense and resilient clots. These findings may help explain elevated cardiovascular risk in diabetes and identify new targets for preventing heart attacks and strokes.

This research develops a method to deliver EGCG, a green tea compound known to break apart Alzheimer's-related protein tangles, into the brain. By chemically attaching EGCG to a carrier that can cross the brain's protective barrier, the project aims to create a potential therapeutic strategy for slowing memory loss and disease progression.