Investigating the role of bioenergetic complexes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

FUNDING: 9 weeks (full time, 37 hrs per week, £12.60/hr per hour, £700 consumables, £500 student accommodation bursary)
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LOCATION: York, UK
SUPERVISOR(S):

Dr. Morwan Osman, Dept. Biology, York


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Antimicrobial combinations targeting the bioenergetic system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have transformed the treatment of the most lethal forms of the disease. However, the  underlying mechanism remains elusive due to the complexity of the mycobacterial respiratory chain. In the York Bioenergetics Lab, we have developed a ‘bioenergetic chamber’, which allows for the real-time measurement of respiratory chain content and activity in living cells. We recently used this technique to resolve the mode of action of the anti-tuberculosis drug bedaquiline. Using an established pipeline, the student will purify endogenous respiratory complexes from the model organism M. smegmatis to study in isolation and then relate their findings to our in vivo observations in M. tuberculosis . The student will be introduced to protein chromatography, enzymatic assays, biophysical methods development, microbiology and data analysis. Our lab is a supportive one, with regular chats over coffee. We have physical and biological scientists working side-by-side and we are adept at making the most of the skills that they bring, so the project is suitable for students on many different programs. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York in September 2025.