John Bruning

Dr. John Bruning is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences, within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. He leads the Laboratory of Protein Crystallography, focusing on structural biology of proteins and their interactions in disease contexts such as cancer, microbial pathogenesis, and nuclear receptor signaling.

His research emphasizes atomic-level structural studies of proteins involved in nuclear receptors (NR), enzymes of pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and cancer-related proteins like PCNA. Bruning's work bridges basic science and translational research, aiming to develop structure-guided therapies. He has published over 120 manuscripts in high-impact journals including Nature and Nature Chemical Biology.

Recent articles highlight advancements in cytochrome P450 catalysis, estrogen receptor allostery, and antifungal drug targets. His lab's expertise in purifying human PCNA enables structural studies critical for cancer therapeutic design. He supervises postgraduate students in PhD and Master's programs, focusing on protein crystallography and drug discovery.