Contact Details

Cancer Research UK Principal Research Fellow,
Division of Structural Biology,
Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK

Telephone: (+44) (0)1865 287546
E-mail: jones-pa@strubi.ox.ac.uk

Research Areas

Yvonne Jones is director of the Cancer Research UK Receptor Structure Research Group which is primarily focused on the structural biology of cell surface recognition and signalling complexes. We investigate the molecular mechanisms that underpin cell-cell communication. Such communication depends on receptors embedded in the surface membrane of the cell and these proteins provide proven as well as potential targets for therapeutic intervention in many diseases including cancer. Major questions in receptor biology centre on how interactions occurring outside the cell drive signalling inside the cell. How are signalling assemblies arranged? Which features are necessary for normal signal transduction into the cell? What mechanisms trigger dysfunctional signalling? Our work ties into an extensive network of interdisciplinary collaborations, within Oxford as well as internationally, with the ultimate aim of learning how to manipulate these systems for the design of new clinical therapies.

We have built up considerable expertise in studies of the extracellular architecture and recognition complexes of type 1 single membrane spanning receptors. The challenge now is to link extracellular recognition with intracellular signalling and to address not just the isolated molecules but rather the interplay of cell surface receptors relevant to function in the cell. Our core technique is protein crystallography, but since our aim is to generate insights which integrate detailed atomic structure with cellular context group members draw on a broad range of methodologies for their research. These include molecular biology, prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems (including tissue culture of insect and mammalian cells), protein purification, biophysical techniques (e.g. surface plasmon resonance and analytical ultracentrifugation) crystallization, synchrotron data collection, in silico structural analysis, confocal and electron microscopy.

Examples of current projects within the group include structure/function analyses of signalling systems:

1. in developmental neurobiology that direct the wiring of our nervous system, controlling the balance between cell guidance and adhesion.
2. in the cellular immune response that modulate our response to pathogens and underlie our susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

A flavour of our work can be gained from recent key publications. One principle underpinning all our studies is the importance of dovetailing insight into molecular mechanisms with the broader biomedical context (including translational research). Past and present group members have backgrounds ranging from clinical medicine to biochemistry, chemistry and physics. Enquires about opportunities to join us at the graduate and postdoctoral level are welcome and should be addressed to jones-pa@strubi.ox.ac.uk.