Membrane proteins are key targets for the drug development. Our research centers around studying membrane proteins involved in disease, using X-ray crystallography and other biophysical techniques, to reveal structural, functional and mechanistic details of membrane proteins that could one day aid in the development of new drugs and vaccines targeted towards membrane proteins.

One major focus of the lab is the study of rhomboid intramembrane proteases (peptidases). Rhomboid function has been linked to breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Our crystal structures of this novel type of protease are providing information on how the rhomboid protease acts to cleave protein targets in the membrane. This information is crucial to assist with de novo drug design.