Aravindan Ilangovan

Dr. Aravindan Ilangovan is an Associate Professor (Reader) in Structural Biology at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences and the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology. His research focuses on structural biology of bacterial nucleoprotein complexes, including helicases and DNA replication mechanisms. His lab uses cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) to study molecular mechanisms of bacterial processes such as DNA replication initiation, conjugative systems, and type IV/V secretion systems.

Recent research highlights include the structural basis of DnaA-dependent DNA unwinding at bacterial replication origins (BUS system) and characterization of type VI secretion system components. His work spans bacterial genetics, protein-DNA interactions, and molecular microbiology, with applications in understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms.

Key grants include funding from MRC, BBSRC, and Wellcome Trust for projects on DNA processing in antibiotic resistance, helicase loading mechanisms, and linear ubiquitin signaling in innate immunity. His lab collaborates on structural studies of bacterial systems and hosts a research group including Dr. Yuanyuan Li and Dr. Ruina Liang.

Publications span high-impact journals like Nature Communications, Nucleic Acids Research, and Cell, with a focus on structural and mechanistic insights into bacterial molecular systems. The lab website (www.ilangovan-lab.com) provides detailed research descriptions and ongoing projects.