Qualifications
PhD University of Essex.
BSc University of Bristol.
Biography
Dr Winn studied Chemical Physics at the University of Bristol and completed a PhD on “Polarisation Effects in Molecular Simulations” at the University of Essex. He has since worked in various aspects of molecular interaction including developing techniques for drug discovery at the University of Oxford, the study of protein interactions at the EMBL Heidelberg and EML-research Heidelberg (since renamed HITS). He has been an independent researcher at the University of Birmingham since 2007. He is currently interested in how molecular interactions lead to biological organisation and function.
Teaching
Undergraduate tutorials.
Protein Structure (BIO261)
Skills for Biosciences (BIO132)
First year chemical kinetics for biochemists (BIO143)
Essential Biology (MSc Mathematics and Computing in Biology and Medicine)
Research Developments Module (MSci year)
Postgraduate supervision
Research
Research Theme within School of Biosciences: Molecular Microbiology| and Molecular and Cell Biology|
Understanding Cellular Organisation at the Atomic Level
The group is interested in the physical and chemical processes important for biological organization. In particular, how does this influence protein |evolution? Cellular function comes from organized processes of events, often in response to external stimuli. The aim of the group is to use mathematical models of the processes involved better to understand these biological process. Organisational events result from physical interactions between different biological components, most commonly including one or more proteins. The complexity of the biological systems challenges the application of modelling techniques. It is necessary to develop models that are simple enough to be understood (calculable), but are complex enough to give a biologically meaningful result. Beyond the immediate intellectual curiosity that these systems arouse, better understanding of the elements of biological function and organisation will give a better insight into human disease and will advance bio- and nano- technology.
Current biological systems being investigated include the protein interactions involved in the biosynthesis of the antibiotics thiomarinol and mupirocin (with the group of Prof Thomas, University of Birmingham), the structure and function of the signalling protein EvgS, which is part of a two component regulatory system (with Dr Lund, University of Birmingham), and plant signalling proteins (with Dr Coates, University of Birmingham). Recent work has investigated ubiquitin |and the molecular machinery of ubiquitination and similar pathways including co-developing the ubiquitin resource (www.ubiquitin-resource.org|). Controlled ubiquitination| is critical for the correct functioning of eukaryotic cells.We have also been involved in modelling the structure of the beta globin gene locus ( Wong,et al, 2009). and how it might regulate the changes in the type of hemoglobin produced during mammalian development (from embryo to adult) and in studying the function of cytochromes P450|, which are important proteins for many biosynthetic pathways and for the disposal of foreign compounds, including poisons and medicines.
Other areas of ongoing research include: Protein conformation, protonation states and function; Prediction of protein interactions; Understanding how higher protein organization leads to specific functionality; Discovery of small molecule inhibitors; Structural interpretation of bio-physical data, notably mass spectrometry data and FRET.
Publications
H. Wong, P.J. Winn, J. Mozziconacci. A molecular model of chromatin organisation and transcription: how a multi-RNA polymerase II machine transcribes and remodels the beta-globin locus during development. Bioessays, 2009, 12, 1357-66.
P. J. Winn, S. K. Luedemann, R. Gauges, V. Lounnas and R. C. Wade. Comparison of the dynamics of substrate access channels in three cytochrome P450s reveals different opening mechanisms and a new functional role for a buried arginine. PNAS (USA), 2002, 99(8), 5361-5366.
P. J. Winn, T. L. Religa, J. N. D. Battey, A. Banerjee, R. C. Wade. A comparative analysis of the interaction properties of the E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzymes and related proteins. Structure, 2004, 12(9), 1563-74
K. Schleinkofer, Sudarko, P. J. Winn, S. K. Luedemann, R. C. Wade. Do mammalian cytochrome P450s exhibit multiple ligand access pathways and ligand channelling? EMBO Reports, 2005, 6(6), 584-589.
P. J. Winn, M. Zahran, J. N. Battey, Y. Zhou, R. C. Wade. A. Banerjee, Structural and electrostatic Properties of Ubiquitination and Related Pathways. Frontiers in Bioscience, 2007, 12, 3419-3430.
V. Cojocaru, P. J. Winn, R. C. Wade. The Ins and Outs of Cytochrome P450s, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 2007, 1770(3), 390-401.