Next-Generation EPR Methods for Structural Biology and Drug Discovery (co-supervisor Prof. Thomas Huber)

Do you want to develop new spectroscopic methods that reveal how proteins move, interact, and recognise drug molecules? Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in high-field instrumentation, pulsed spectroscopy, and computational modelling. The Cox group operates Australia's only high-field EPR facility, providing unique opportunities to work at the forefront of magnetic resonance research.

This project focuses on developing next-generation EPR methods for structural biology and drug discovery. A particular emphasis is 19F ENDOR, which combines fluorine labels and paramagnetic spin tags to probe protein structure, dynamics, and molecular recognition. Recent work from our laboratories has shown that 19F ENDOR can measure nanometre-scale distances, determine amino-acid side-chain conformations, map local flexibility, and potentially locate small-molecule ligands within protein binding sites.

Projects combine method development, spectral simulation, and molecular modelling with applications to frontier biomolecular systems. Collaborations with the Huber group provide spin-labelled proteins for developing and benchmarking approaches, while work with Prof. Paul Gooley (University of Melbourne) focuses on medically important targets including the glucocorticoid receptor. The resulting methods provide new insights into protein structure, dynamics, ligand binding, and molecular recognition.