Lanyon-Hogg Group | Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Chemical biology
Medicinal chemistry
Biochemistry
Drug discovery
Our group uses synthetic chemistry and biochemistry to develop small-molecule therapeutics and generate new insights into fundamental biology. We are interested in using tool molecules and interdisciplinary methodology to identify and validate new drug targets and mechanisms of action.
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
As part of the Medicinal Chemistry Group in the Department of Pharmacology, our research involves the synthesis and development of biologically active small molecules. This includes identification of new inhibitors by screening approaches, design of improved molecules using rational and computational guidance, and testing of molecules in biochemical, cellular and in vivo settings. Current Medicinal Chemistry projects include: development of new approaches to slow or reverse antibiotic resistance; non-natural modulation of protease activity; light-activated therapies for treatment of cancer.
CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
Our research in Chemical Biology involves the use of chemical methodology and small molecules to probe biological questions. This encompasses a range of techniques including organic synthesis, bioorthogonal 'click' chemistry, and biochemical or mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses. Current areas of interest include: profiling of small-molecule targets in live cells using chemoproteomics; synthetic functionalisation of proteins; use of machine-learning for analysis and optimisation of biochemical processes.
JOINING THE LAB
We are currently advertising for two postdoctoral positions as part of our antimicrobial resistance project portfolio:
1. Chemical Biology & Microbiology - deadline Monday 13 January 2025.
2. Structural Biology & Fragment Screening - deadline Monday 13 January 2025.
We are always on the lookout for motivated people to join our group. If interested, please make contact to discuss further (thomas.lanyon-hogg@pharm.ox.ac.uk). At the postdoctoral level, we are willing to support applications to fellowship programmes. At the PhD student level, recruitment is conducted via one of the Oxford University doctoral training programmes; please note that these programmes normally close in January each year. We particularly welcome interest from groups that are under-represented in scientific research.
Our team
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Thomas Lanyon-Hogg
Career Development Fellow
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Patricia Santos Barbosa
Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Medicinal Chemistry and Antimicrobial Resistance
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Jacob Bradbury
DPhil Chemistry in Cells Student
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Saidu Kamara
DPhil Interdisciplinary Bioscience student
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Jemima Brimacombe
DPhil in Interdisciplinary Bioscience
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Marine Guingand
DPhil in Pharmacology
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Zoe Nicholas
Chemistry in Cells DPhil programme
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Madia Harvey
Part II Biochemistry Student
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James Simons
Part II student
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Yiqiao Wang
Part II Chemistry Student
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Tanya Watson
Part II Chemistry Student
Alumni
Postdoctoral researchers: 2023: Adam Thomas; 2022: Om Tanwar.
Part II/MSc: 2024: Amelia Abbott, Kayla Rowden, Luke MacKay, Tricia Seow, Lauren Kim, Soraya Saghbini; 2023: Amy Stonehouse, Adam Winnifrith, Isla Sandeman, Arina Belov; 2022: Anna McDonald, Thomas Hodgkinson, Kiera Gilbert, Vasiliki Mina; 2021: Nicholas Etherington, Jemima Brimacombe.
BSc: 2021: Tara Shutes, Jasmine Harris.
Visiting researchers: 2024: Cherry Marsh (Oxford); 2023: Why Wong (Cambridge); 2022: Gabriele La Monica (Palermo), Vanessa Rogga (Zagreb); 2021: Marine Guingand (Paris), Sarah Kapllani Mucaj (Cambridge).
Collaborating labs
Dr Kerstin Timm (Pharmacology)
Prof. Timothy Walsh (Zoology)
Dr Georgia Isom (Pathology)
Prof. Ben Davis (Pharmacology & Rosalind Franklin Institute)
Prof. Angela Russell (Pharmacology & Chemistry)
Prof. Ming Lei (Pharmacology)