Belinda Bullard

Dr. Belinda Bullard is an Honorary Visiting Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of York. Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction, particularly in insect flight and cardiac muscles. She investigates how stretch activation works at the molecular level, using flight muscle as a model system. Key projects include studying troponin complex interactions, obscurin’s role in sarcomere symmetry, and the structural roles of titin-like proteins like sallimus.

• Education: PhD in Physiology from the University of Cambridge (1978)

Her research integrates biochemical, genetic, and biophysical approaches to understand protein interactions in muscle regulation. Notable contributions include characterizing sallimus and obscurin proteins, which are critical for sarcomere stability and elasticity. She has held roles at leading institutions including EMBL and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Bullard’s work has been funded by the BBSRC for projects on stretch activation mechanisms. She is an active member of professional societies like the British Biophysical Society and EMBO.