Chloe is an iCASE PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemistry at King’s College London, partnered with Waters Corporation.

During her Physics BSc at the University of Exeter, Chloe’s projects focused on the application of physics-based methods, such as Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, to biological systems. As a postgraduate researcher with Dr Peter Petrov, she used microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to investigate the effect of short-chain alcohols on the physical properties of erythrocyte membranes.

Thesis title and abstract

Developing H/D-exchange mass spectrometry for membrane protein structural biology.

Membrane proteins are involved in a great number of essential, complex biological processes. The lipid environment within which these proteins reside and interact undoubtedly influences their functions, so it is vital we understand their structural dynamics in the context of lipid membranes. This project aims to probe medically important membrane protein systems with the overarching goal of developing and refining H/D-exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) for use with membrane proteins in a lipid environment. Emphasis is placed on membrane proteins as a target for drug delivery, and a number of biochemical and biophysical techniques are employed to complement findings from HDX-MS and build a comprehensive picture of how membrane proteins behave.

Research interests

Chloe‘s interests lie with interdisciplinary science, where the boundaries between biology, physics and chemistry are blurred. At King’s she is focused on the application of HDX-MS to membrane proteins.

• Hydrogen/Deuterium exchange mass spectrometry
• Membrane Proteins
• Protein Kinases

Supervisors

• Dr Antoni Borysik
• Professor Paula Booth