Cyclic peptides are a fast-growing drug modality and hold great promise as leads to target intracellular targets, ‘undruggable’ by traditional therapies using small molecule drugs or biologics. However, their potential as therapies has not been fully achieved: active cyclic peptides are often membrane-impermeable and unable to reach targets inside cells.
Peptide Therapeutics and Membrane Biology research group is focused on investigating how active cyclic peptides cross cell membranes and exert their function inside cells, thereby accelerating the development of cyclic peptides in the clinic. We combine expertise in therapeutic cyclic peptides, membrane biology, molecular biophysics, and characterisation of peptide-cell membrane interactions.
As part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein science, we are expanding our findings to solve the grand challenge on how to deliver active peptides into target cells and achieve the breakthrough therapeutic potential of cyclic peptides as anticancer/antimicrobial drugs and as diagnostic tools.
Fields of interest
- Design of anticancer cyclic peptides
- Characterisation of drug resistance pathways in cancer (e.g. metastatic melanoma and triple negative breast cancer);
- Biophysical properties and lipid composition of cancer cell membranes
- Identification of novel cancer targets/biomarkers
- Reengineering of host defense peptides to treat bacterial infections
- Peptide-cell membrane characterisation (e.g. uptake mechanism, peptide-lipid interactions)
- Design of peptides to inhibit protein:protein interactions involved in cancer progression
- Delivery of active peptides to targeted cells (e.g. tumour cells, bacteria inside host cells)
Methodologies applied in our research
- Surface Plasmon Resonance to study peptide-lipid interactions
- Fluorescence spectroscopy to characterise peptide-cell membrane interactions
- Confocal microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy to monitor cell membrane properties
- In vitro screening of toxicity, anticancer and antimicrobial properties
- Flow cytometry to monitor uptake of peptides inside cells
- Microscopy to identify location of peptides inside cells
- Lipidomics studies to identify and quantify cell membrane lipids
- Proteomics to identify pathways involved in cancer drug resistance
Research training opportunities for visitors, PhD and honours students
For information on available projects, please contact Dr Sónia Henriques.