Matt Guille

Professor Matt Guille is a leading researcher in developmental genetics at the University of Portsmouth's School of the Environment and Life Sciences. His work focuses on gene regulation in Xenopus embryos, spanning transcription factors, epigenetic mechanisms, and chromatin dynamics. He also contributes to marine biology through molecular genetics collaborations and leads the European Xenopus Resource Centre, which provides critical infrastructure for developmental biology research.

• PhD in Biochemistry from King’s College London
• Postdoctoral fellowships at Cancer Research UK and Developmental Biology Research Centre
• Established independent lab at Portsmouth in 1990s
• Founded European Xenopus Resource Centre (2006, Wellcome Trust funded)

Research interests center on early embryonic development in Xenopus, including:

• Transcription factor activity control
• Variant histone function
• Chromatin regulation
• Xenopus welfare and methodology improvements
• Marine genetics applications

His recent publications highlight Xenopus as a platform for modeling human genetic disorders like neurodevelopmental syndromes and intellectual disabilities. He has developed innovative techniques including CRISPR-Cas9 miRNA knockout methods and quantitative redox assays.

Scientific contributions include:

• Wellcome Trust funding for European Xenopus Resource Centre
• Leadership in Xenopus model development
• Advancements in protein thiol redox measurement

As a PhD supervisor, he guides students in developmental genetics while maintaining active laboratory research. He previously served as head of school but has now returned to hands-on research in Portsmouth’s thriving epigenetics and developmental biology environment.