My current research
My current research aims to understand how DNA is repaired, and how it is transcribed. Information about these processes is encoded in the spatial distribution and diffusion behaviours of the molecules involved, which I study through the use of super-resolution imaging. A technique known as PhotoActivated Localisation Microscopy (PALM) is central to my work. By labelling molecules with fluorescent probes, which are excited one at a time, and fitting a mathematical function to the observed fluorescent spot, individual molecules can be located with a resolution an order of magnitude beyond the diffraction limit of light. Tracking these molecules over time leads to a description of their diffusive behaviour, revealing the actions of the individual molecules. Building on this technique using computational, and optical approaches, we are able to make observations that allow us to test fundamentally important biological questions.