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Professor Peter Stockley is a leading researcher in the field of biological chemistry and molecular virology at the University of Leeds, where he serves as Professor of Biological Chemistry in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of virus assembly, particularly the role of RNA Packaging Signals (PSs) in single-stranded RNA viruses such as HIV and coronaviruses.
His work lies at the intersection of virology, biophysics, and therapeutic innovation. Using interdisciplinary approaches—including single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, asymmetric cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray RNA footprinting, and mathematical modeling—he investigates how RNA-coat protein interactions drive selective and efficient virion formation. A key aspect of his research is the cooperative function of dispersed PS motifs across viral genomes, which are evolutionarily conserved and thus promising targets for antiviral drugs.
Professor Stockley’s research has significant translational potential. By decoding the 'syntax' of PS-mediated assembly, his team is recoding therapeutic RNA cargoes to exploit viral packaging machinery, enabling efficient and targeted delivery in gene therapy applications. This approach could revolutionize how gene editing tools and therapeutic genes are delivered to cells with the natural tropism of viruses.
He collaborates extensively with mathematical modeling experts at the University of York, notably Professor Reidun Twarock, to develop a new paradigm for understanding virion assembly. His lab is actively working on visualizing RNA-protein contacts in asymmetric virions, correlating RNA structural dynamics across the viral lifecycle, and disrupting PS functions for antiviral development, particularly against Hepatitis B Virus.
While no specific scientific awards or student advisees are listed in the provided text, his research program is robust and well-integrated across experimental and theoretical domains. He leads a cutting-edge program that bridges fundamental science with clinical applications in virology and gene therapy.
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