Investigating the structure of extracellular vesicles and budded virus in baculovirus replication

The project provides a unique opportunity to study baculovirus budded virus (BV) and extracellular vesicle (EV) structures using biochemical and biophysical techniques including protein analyses, small-angle neutron scattering and cryogenic electron microscopy. The insect cell baculovirus expression system is used globally to produce proteins for use in vaccines, diagnostics and gene therapy. Sometimes proteins affect recombinant baculovirus titres making it hard to scale production.  The project will investigate whether changes in virus structure result in reduced virus titres. EVs are diverse nanoscale membrane vesicles released by cells that play an important role in intercellular communication and possess a high clinical potential as therapeutic delivery vehicles. Further research to identify the impact of EVs on viral infections is required but remains limited by the unavailability of virus-EV separation methods and detailed structural characterization of both EVs and virions.

The project is co-funded by Oxford Expression Technologies, world leaders in the development and application of baculovirus expression technology, and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source at STFC Harwell. The student will be based at OET’s labs within Oxford Brookes Bioinnovation Hub on the main Headington campus and will spend time at the Harwell complex.  Full training in all techniques will be provided and as part of your studies you will benefit from specialised training including the ISIS Neutron Training Course, the Oxford School on Neutron Scattering and the EMBL practical course on “Small angle neutron and x-ray scattering from biomacromolecules in solution”. At Oxford Brookes, you will have access to a comprehensive training programme of transferrable skills aligned to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, including e.g. media training and grant writing workshops.

The project is subject to final approvals.