Neil Ranson

Professor Neil Ranson is a leading figure in structural molecular biology at the University of Leeds, where he holds the position of Professor of Structural Molecular Biology. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Neil serves as Director of the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and Director of Electron Microscopy at the Astbury Biostructure Laboratory, playing a pivotal role in advancing structural biology infrastructure and research at the university.

• Position: Professor of Structural Molecular Biology
• Leadership Roles: Director, Astbury Centre; Director of Electron Microscopy, Astbury Biostructure Laboratory
• Institution: University of Leeds
• School: Faculty of Biological Sciences
• Department: School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Email: n.a.ranson@leeds.ac.uk
• Location: 8.108 Astbury, Garstang Building

Education:

• BSc in Biochemistry, University of Bristol
• PhD in Mechanistic Enzymology, University of Bristol (1997)
• Postdoctoral training in Structural Biology with Professor Helen Saibil, Birkbeck College London

Research Interests: Neil Ranson's research is fundamentally focused on the 3D structure and dynamic behavior of macromolecular complexes. His lab employs cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to investigate:
• Structural Virology: virus structure, assembly, receptor binding, uncoating, and cell entry across plant, animal, bacterial, and human pathogens.
• Antimicrobial Resistance: structure and function of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Gram-negative bacteria, including nutrient transporters and the BAM complex responsible for OMP biogenesis.
• Protein Misfolding and Amyloid Biology: structural basis of amyloid fibril formation and their cytotoxic effects, extending from his early work on molecular chaperones like GroEL/GroES.

His work is currently supported by major funding bodies including the BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome Trust, and Kidney Research UK, with past collaborations involving EPSRC and ERC grants. While no articles or student names are listed in the provided text, his research output is active and widely disseminated through platforms like Google Scholar and ResearchGate.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• No specific awards are mentioned in the provided text.

Advising and Grants: Professor Ranson leads a dynamic research group welcoming PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. His lab is engaged in multiple funded projects such as 'Breaking the Barrier: Mapping protein interactions in the bacterial outer membrane' and 'Delivery and clearance of outer membrane proteins to the BAM complex using cryoEM'. He has been instrumental in securing infrastructure grants for state-of-the-art electron detection and mass spectrometry for in-cell structural biology at Leeds.

Laboratories and Teams: Neil leads the Ranson Lab at the University of Leeds, which is embedded within the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and operates within the Astbury Biostructure Laboratory. The lab is a hub for cryo-EM training and technological innovation, contributing to a community-based training programme and the integration of new biomolecular interaction technologies at the university.