Nicola Jones

Nicola Jones is a Researcher at the University of Würzburg, Germany, holding a position in the Chair of Cell and Developmental Biology (Zoology I) within the Biocenter. Her academic journey includes a chemistry background from the University of Bielefeld and Westfälische-Wilhelms-Universität Münster, followed by postdoctoral work at Simon Fraser University (Canada) and the University of Cambridge (UK). Since 2009, she has been dedicated to structural and molecular biology research focusing on African trypanosomes, particularly their variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) and GPI-anchored proteins.

Education:

• Vordiplom in Chemistry (University of Bielefeld)
• Diplom in Chemistry (Westfälische-Wilhelms-Universität Münster)
• Dr. rer. nat. in Organic Chemistry (University of Münster)

Research Interests: Jones' work centers on understanding the structural and functional roles of VSG surface coats in Trypanosoma brucei, leveraging NMR spectroscopy and interdisciplinary approaches. Key areas include:

• Structural basis of VSG expression and surface coat formation
• GPI anchor dynamics and membrane interactions
• Antigenic variation mechanisms in trypanosomes
• Role of molecular crowding in membrane remodeling

Advising & Grants: Supervised over 20 graduate and undergraduate students, with notable advisees including Thi Ngoc Cam Phan (2024), Ngoc Thao Vo (2024), and Kevin Bongers (2020). Active in securing research funding for structural biology projects.

Labs & Teams: Leads research in the Cell and Developmental Biology group at Würzburg, collaborating with Markus Engstler and international teams to advance structural insights into trypanosome biology.