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Harnessing microbiology to tackle global challenges

Professional headshot photo of Prof Barrie Wilkinson

Prof Barrie Wilkinson

Group Leader and Lead for the HBio Institute Strategic Programme

Research themes:
Chemical Interactions
Education and Teaching
Engineering Microbial Interactions
Microbial Community Interactions
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Contact details:
barrie.wilkinson@jic.ac.uk
Other: https://isomerase.com/uk/
Part of

Biography

My lab uses chemical biology and genetic methods to discover new bacterial specialised metabolites and study their biosynthesis, and to probe the role these molecules play in the environment. We develop tools and methods to aid specialised metabolite discovery and rational bioengineering, and to identify the biological targets and mechanism of action of antibacterial molecules.

In 2013 I co-founded Isomerase Therapeutics Ltd to develop specialised metabolites as therapeutics targeted at peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases.

Prior to joining JIC I spent 16 years in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, first at GlaxoWellcome (now GSK) and then at Biotica Technology Ltd, a UK biotechnology company exploiting polyketide specialised metabolites as leads for pharmaceutical and agrochemical R&D. My training was undertaken at the universities of Leeds, Washington and Cambridge, although I hail from Sheffield and am blessed (cursed maybe) to be a lifelong Blades fan.