Michael Lockhart

Michael Lockhart is an Honorary Research Associate in the Division of Cell Matrix Biology & Regenerative Medicine at The University of Manchester. His work focuses on structural biology techniques including SAXS, cryo-EM, and molecular modeling to study extracellular matrix proteins and growth factor regulation. He holds a PhD (2018) and MChem (2013) from The University of Manchester and University of St Andrews, respectively.

Research Interests:

• Structural analysis of extracellular matrix components (e.g., fibrillin, elastin, latent TGFβ complexes)
• Mechanisms of protein crosslinking in connective tissues
• Biophysical techniques integration (SAXS, cryo-EM, MD simulations)
• Role of growth factor signaling in development and disease

Key Research Themes: His studies bridge structural biology with functional implications in tissue elasticity, cancer, and genetic disorders like Cutis Laxa. Utilizes advanced imaging facilities including BioSAXS beamlines and Gatan K2 Summit cryo-EM systems.

Professional Affiliation: Active member of the Royal Society of Biology since 2020.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with research groups focused on matrix biology and structural biochemistry, leveraging multidisciplinary approaches combining molecular biology, protein engineering, and computational modeling.