Purton Lab - Algal Biology and Biotechnology
Current research includes:
- Developing the algal chloroplast as a platform for production of therapeutic proteins and novel metabolites
- Exploring the re-design and re-programming of the chloroplast genome using synthetic biology approaches
- Developing algae as low-cost, oral delivery systems for aquaculture and as bio-insecticides
- Understanding the regulation of organelle gene expression by nuclear-encoded factors
- Enhancing the nutritional content and palatability of edible cyanobacteria and algae
Positions Open
Postdoctoral Positions
There are no positions open at this time.
PhD positions
Details of any studentships awarded directly to Professor Purton will be advertised here, and at findaphd.com, as they become available.
The work in the Group covers a range of topics, so as well as students with degrees in the life sciences, those with backgrounds in Chemistry, Biochemical Engineering or Bioinformatics, can be considered for particular projects.
Informal applications are welcome from students who wish to study for a PhD in an aspect of algal biology or biotechnology, particularly those students who have an independent source of funding (e.g. a government scholarship). Students who fulfil UK residency requirements and are interested in Research Council or Wellcome Trust studentships should visit the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology website for further details, as competition for these studentships is administered centrally by the ISMB.
Genetic engineering tools
Over the years, various selectable markers and cell lines for transformation of the nuclear or chloroplast genome of Chlamydomonas have been developed in the Purton group and made available to the research community. Plasmids and cell lines can be obtained through the Chlamydomonas Resource Center.
See our Genetic Engineering Tools
Meet the Team
Find out more about the Members of the Saul Purton lab
Contact Us
Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (Darwin Building)
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
Director of Algae-UK: a BBSRC network in industrial biotechnology & bioenergy
Collaborators
- Dr Frank Baganz (Biochemical Engineering, UCL)
- Prof Qi Cheng (Qi's Academy, Jiaxing City, China)
- Jason Chin (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge)
- Prof Chris Howe (Biochemistry, University of Cambridge)
- Alistair McCormick (School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh)
- Attila Molnar (School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh)
- Dr Brenda Parker (Biochemical Engineering, UCL)
- Prof Colin Robinson (Biosciences, University of Kent)
- Dr Vanvimon Saksmerprome (National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand)
- Roberto Parra-Saldivar (Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico)
- Giulia Di Rocco (Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy)
- Joanne Santini (Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL)
- Alison Smith (Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge)
- Members of the Pharma Factory Consortium
Teaching
Saul's teaching encompasses microbiology, molecular biology, plant biology and biotechnology, and he contributes to the following UCL courses:
- Introduction to Microbiology
- Experimental Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology (course organiser)
- Genetic Systems
- Energy and Evolution
- Cellular Regulation and Biotechnology
- MRes in Synthetic Biology
In addition, he supervises both research and literature-based projects for BSc and MRes students.
Saul is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy