The project is led by Dr Thom Sharp, Associate Professor in the School of Biochemistry, whose research combines engineering and structural biology to explore new ways to precisely control the immune system.
Dr Sharp’s team studies the detailed structures of the immune system—our body’s complex defence network—using advanced imaging techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography, super-resolution light microscopy and X-ray crystallography.
Their current work focuses on the structure-guided design of peptides – short chains of amino acids – to produce cyclic peptides capable of targeted activation of the human complement system.
The complement system acts like a biochemical cascade involving around 40 proteins in the blood, where one protein activates the next in a chain reaction that helps destroy pathogens and clear cellular debris. By harnessing this mechanism, Dr Sharp’s team aims to create a platform technology that could enable novel, highly specific cell-killing approaches—offering a more precise alternative to current treatments that broadly suppress immune function or deplete entire cell populations. This strategy also has the potential to overcome several limitations of traditional monoclonal antibody - based immunotherapies, such as adverse side effects and the high costs associated with antibody discovery.
Dr Sharp explains: “This exciting collaboration with Evotec will enable us to build on our fundamental discoveries into the molecular orchestra that underpins human immune defence, and translate their potential to deliver tangible benefits for human health”.
The funding is provided through beLAB1407, one of Evotec’s global portfolio of BRIDGE (Biomedical Research, Innovation & Development Generation Efficiency) partnerships, launched in 2021 to identify and advance breakthrough drug discovery opportunities across multiple therapeutic areas. The University of Bristol joined beLAB1407 in November 2023.
Through this partnership, the University benefits from access to funding, industry expertise, and state-of-the-art drug discovery and development platforms. This award marks the University’s second beLAB1407 project, facilitated by the Research Commercialisation team within the Division of Research, Enterprise and Innovation (DREI).