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Staff profile

Overview

Dr Olivia Gittins

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Affiliations
Affiliation
Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Biosciences

Biography

I obtained my bachelor's degree (BSc) in Pharmacology and Masters by Research (MRes) in Cancer Studies from Newcastle University, before completing my PhD studies in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute at Newcastle University in Martin Noble's group. My PhD work focused on developing a protein scaffold for structural elucidation of small or challenging protein targets or cargos using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This project was funded by the EPSRC through a MoSMed CDT studentship. 

Following completion of my PhD, I moved to Durham University to take up a PDRA position within the group of Jonathan Heddle under the new Centre for Programmable Biological Matter.

My current work involves structural and functional studies of the type II topoisomerase DNA Gyrase, which is an example of a naturally ocurring 'nanomachine' which uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to power a highly dynamic and complex mechanism of DNA negative supercoiling.

Gyrase is also an important antimicrobial target as it is present in all bacteria but absent in humans. The widely used Quinoline antibiotics which target DNA Gyrase have been highly succesful in the clinic, however rising antimcrobial resistance has significantly impacted their efficacy. This therefore drives a need for new and improved approaches to inhibit Gyrase. 

Using the experience I have gained in cryo-EM, we are aiming to build a movie of precisely how DNA Gyrase carries out its catalytic cycle by building up several snapshots of the enzyme in action. Through gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics of Gyrase, we hope to uncover new strategies to develop novel antibiotics or combat resistance mechanisms to existing antibiotics.

Publications

Journal Article