The Moore Lab - Synthetic Biology for Natural Products
For full details of the group, please visit the main research webpage:
https://sites.google.com/view/moore-lab-at-kent/Meet-the-team
https://twitter.com/sjmoore505
Dr Simon Moore began as a PhD student with Prof Martin Warren (University of Kent), working on tetrapyrrole natural product biosynthesis, the so-called “pigments of life”. Dr Moore elucidated the anaerobic biosynthesis of vitamin B12 and coenzyme F430. In 2013, he joined Imperial College London with Prof Paul Freemont and Prof Karen Polizzi to study the rising field of synthetic biology. During this time, he learned about cell-free transcription-translation (TX-TL) systems. Then, in 2017 he began an independent fellowship (Wellcome Trust ISSF) to study Streptomyces natural products, where he developed the Streptomyces TX-TL system. In 2018, Simon rejoined Kent as a lecturer. He works within the newly emerging synthetic biology for natural products field.
Synthetic Biology for Natural Products
Natural product biosynthesis
Cell-free transcription-translation systems
Undergraduate
BIOS5010: Gene Expression and its Control (Lecturer)
BIOS6280: Microbial Physiology and Genetics II (Module convenor)
Postgraduate
BIOS8510: Advanced Molecular Processing for Biotechnologists and Bioengineers (Lecturer)
BIOS8610/BIOS8630/BIOS8640/BIOS8650/BIOS8690: Research Skills Modules (Module convenor)
BIOS8620: Pathogen Diagnosis, Therapeutics and Vaccines (Lecturer)
Masters by research students
We regularly support summer studentships and MSc by research students. Project areas are listed below. Please contact Dr Simon Moore for discussions - s.j.r.moore[at]kent.ac.uk
"Silent" biosynthetic gene clusters
Synthetic biology is accelerating the discovery of promising new bioactive natural products. We are interested in studying "silent" biosynthetic gene clusters and specific pathways of interest. Our focus is on developing tools that overcome barriers in natural product discovery, as well as elucidating biosynthetic pathways.
Novel antibiotics for Gram-negative bacterial infectious diseases
There is an urgent need to develop new antibiotics to prevent mortality from infectious diseases. We are working on new methodologies to identify antibiotics that inhibit Gram-negative bacteria (to be published).
Cell-free TX-TL and biosynthesis
Cell-free TX-TL is a rapidly developing area in synthetic biology for the implementation of the design-built-test-learn cycle. We are interested in the potential of using cell-free systems to study Streptomyces genetics, BGCs and enzymes from natural product biosynthesis.
Fluorescent direct protein (DiPro) biosensors
Fluorescence is a valuable physical property widely exploited for medical imaging through to detecting diseases and toxic chemicals. Recently, we have discovered a novel fluorescent protein that detects specific chemicals. We call this mechanism a direct protein (DiPro) biosensor.
DiPro biosensor preprint - www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.22.461347v1