Computational design is a promising tool to create proteins with three-dimensional structures able to support specific molecular recognition and catalysis, or capable of assembling into nanoparticles and protein arrays. However, the complexity of most proteins found in Nature limits the possibility of modifying their structures. An alternative approach is the design of novel custom-made protein structures using modular repeating units as building blocks to explore the range of achievable geometries.

We work on the development of an automated pipeline that combines computational design and experimental production and characterization of complex protein architectures. The goal is to create custom protein-based tools that can be used in a broad range of applications, from control of cell behaviour through receptor clustering to design of novel biomaterials.

Project lead: BrisSynBio Fellow in Synthetic Biology Dr Fabio Parmeggiani