Wallace lab

Molecular Engineering of Biomembranes Laboratory

We engineer the interface between biological and synthetic systems at the molecular level. Using cutting-edge tools in protein design, microfabrication, and single-molecule imaging, we create new forms of artificial membranes and membrane proteins that can interact with living cells in controlled ways.

Our research seeks to understand the fundamental processes that determine how membrane proteins are modulated by their lipid environment. To achieve this, we have developed a range of new biophysical methods capable of measuring and mimicking complex phenomena that occur in biological membranes. These advances span both single-molecule microscopy and novel artificial lipid bilayer systems.

Our interdisciplinary approach combines de novo protein design, synthetic biology, and biophysics to build complex membrane structures with programmable functions. By developing biomimetic systems with engineered communication capabilities, we aim to understand fundamental principles of membrane biology while creating new tools for biotechnology and biomedical applications.

The satellite laboratory at the Crick builds on our established expertise at King's College London in membrane engineering and single-molecule methods. Here, we focus specifically on developing biomimetic membrane interfaces that can form functional connections with biological systems, exploring how controlled molecular interactions at these interfaces can drive new emergent properties.