Paul Whitley

Paul Whitley is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, where he has been a faculty member since 1999. His research is centered on endosomal sorting machineries, particularly the ESCRT complex, and their roles in cellular trafficking, membrane protein degradation, and cell polarity. He leads an active research laboratory investigating the molecular mechanisms linking ESCRT dysfunction to epithelial disorganization and cancer.

• PhD, University of Edinburgh, 1991
• Postdoctoral Training, Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute, Sweden, 1991–1999
• Lecturer in Cell Biology, University of Bath, 2000–2011
• Senior Lecturer, University of Bath, 2011–present

His research focuses on the ESCRT machinery and its role in multivesicular body (MVB) formation, membrane protein sorting, and lipid signaling (e.g., PtdIns(3,5)P2). His lab explores how defects in endosomal sorting contribute to loss of cell polarity in epithelial cells, a hallmark of cancer. Recent work also involves membrane protein extraction using SMALP copolymers and insulin receptor signaling. His interdisciplinary approach combines cell biology, biochemistry, and structural techniques to understand fundamental cellular processes.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend in membrane protein biology, including transmembrane helix folding, detergent-free extraction methods, and structural analysis of membrane proteins in nanodiscs. His work bridges basic cell biology with implications in metabolic and oncogenic signaling pathways.

His research has been supported by major funding bodies including:

• Cancer Research UK (Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator)
• MRC (Medical Research Council)
• Diabetes UK
• BBSRC (for PhD studentships)

Dr. Whitley supervises postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, including Dr Joseph Dukes and Miss Laura Fish. He is actively involved in collaborative projects, particularly with Dr Fiona Koumanov, focusing on insulin signaling and glucose uptake. His lab contributes to understanding the intersection of membrane trafficking, cell polarity, and human disease.