Current Lab Members

Postdoctoral researchers

^{Dr Yue (Mary) Ma obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Bristol in 2017 and an MRes from the University of St Andrews in 2018. Mary did her PhD in the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds, before joining the Pliotas Group at the University of Manchester as a postdoctoral research fellow to study the gating mechanism of human potassium mechanosensitive channels by PELDOR/DEER spectroscopy and single molecule electrophysiology.}

^{Dr Qaiser Waheed has obtained a PhD in biological physics with Olle Edholm at KTH, Stockholm with a focus on MD simulations of membranes. He then joined Nathalie Reuter’s group at CBU, University of Bergen, Norway, where he worked on membrane protein dynamics and later Peter Ruoff’s group at the University of Stavanger to work on enzymatic networks. He joined the Pliotas group to combine advanced computational tools with EPR spectroscopy, and develop an integrative structural biology platform for the investigation of integral membrane proteins.}

^{Dr Josh Wort studied biochemistry at University College London. Josh joined the Pliotas lab as a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in EPR Spectroscopy, having completed a PhD in the Bode lab at the University of St Andrews, and a previous postdoc in the Schiemann lab at the University of Bonn. His project includes studying protein-protein interactions and complex formation by EPR and HDX-MS, to understand the biosynthesis of a novel class of natural products.}

^{Dr Anokhi Shah obtained her MSc in pharmaceutical chemistry from Queen Mary University, London, where she was introduced to EPR in the Dr Maxie Rößler group, before moving to the University of St Andrews to complete her PhD with Dr Janet Lovett applying EPR distance measurements to proteins including intrinsic metal centres. She went on to undertake a postdoctoral position with Prof. Tony Day at the University of Manchester, using CryoEM to matrix proteins before joining the Pliotas group to study the mechanism of integral membrane Pyrophosphatases (mPPases) using EPR spectroscopy and cryoEM.}

^{Dr Bolin Wang obtained his BSc in Biology from Zhengzhou University, China and he then pursued a master in bioengineering at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Bolin did his PhD in the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds, before joining the Pliotas Group at the University of Manchester as a postdoctoral research fellow to use CryoEM and Molecular Dynamics to elucidate gating of bacterial mechanosensitive channels.}

^{Katie Hardman obtained a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology from the University of Leeds in 2019. She has joined the Pliotas group initially in Leeds and later in Manchester to study the structure and function of mechanosensitive G protein-coupled receptors and ion channels, using CryoEM and PELDOR/DEER spectroscopy.}

^{Themiya Perrera has graduated with an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Nottingham in 2024. He joined the Pliotas Lab through a BBSRC-DTP CASE studentship in collaboration with Z7-Biotech. Themiya will study G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) dynamics using EPR spectroscopy within the newly launched BioEmPiRe centre.}

Gaurav Nanakwani received his BSc in Microbiology from Devi Ahilya University in 2021 and an MSc in Biotechnology with specialisation in Disease Biology from Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology in 2023. He joined the Pliotas Group for his PhD in September 2023 to study mechanosensitive ion channel function and localisation by single molecule electrophysiology and microfluidics microscopy.

Xinyu Liu has obtained BSc in Chemical Biology from Nankai University, in China, in 2021 and a MSc in Biochemistry from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2023. Xinyu joined the Pliotas Group in September 2024 for his PhD to study integral membrane protein dynamics under tension using EPR (PELDOR/DEER) spectroscopy, Molecular Dynamics and CryoEM.

Phitchakorn (Cartoon) Somngam obtained BSc (Hons) in Biology from Mahidol University in 2020 and MSc in Biochemistry from Mahidol University in 2023. She will join the Pliotas Group in January 2024 for her PhD to study mechanosensitive ion channels by EPR (PELDOR/DEER) Spectroscopy and CryoEM.