Our research interests span synthetic biology, molecular detection/recognition and chemical biology. We are currently exploring a number of research areas including; i) the development and application of genetically encoded biosensors, to detect molecules of bio-medical and biotechnological interest, ii) the application of  riboswitch-based gene expression tools in the context of developing of tuneable recombinant protein production systems, iii) cellular capacity matching for the optimisation of cellular protein production and secretion, iv) small molecule-RNA-protein interactions associated with allostery, molecular recognition and context engineering.

The driver of these applied research areas is the development of new chemical and synthetic biology tools to both i) help understand fundamental biological processes, ii) permit more efficient protein production process, and iii) optimise whole-cell bio-catalytic processes supporting the bio-based economy.

For further information: https://dixonlab.org/research/

Production of complex biologics: Host capacity analysis and capability engineering

This project will utilise next generation synthetic biology regulatory tools, to enhance the production and secretion of complex multimeric protein-based biologics from bacterial hosts. RNA-based regulatory tools (riboswitches) have been developed that control gene expression at the level of translation initiation [1-3]. Previously we have used these tools to match our biotechnological demand to host cell synthetic capacity, for example matching expression rates to secretion capacity and inner membrane protein biogenesis allowing enhanced periplasmic secretion and production of recombinant inner membrane protein [4]. This PhD project will seek to co-express and secrete commercially and clinically important multimeric protein-based biologics, such as F(abs), F(ab’)2, and T-cell receptors. This project will provide training in cutting-edge biotechnology, namely synthetic biology enabled host engineering, stress response engineering, and bio-processing engineering important for future careers in both academic and industrial R&D.

[1] Dixon et al 2010 Reengineering orthogonally selective riboswitches Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. p 2830 
[2] Dixon et al 2012 Orthogonal riboswitches for tuneable coexpression in bacteria. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. p3620 
[3] Morra et al 2016 Dual transcriptional-translational cascade permits cellular level tuneable expression control. 
Nucleic Acids Res. e21 
[4] Morra et al 2017 Optimization of Membrane Protein Production Using Titratable Strains of E. coli. Methods Mol Biol. p83

Dynamic Ribo-regulator Tools for Expression Control in Mammalian Cells

Neil Dixon received a 1^st class Hons degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Leeds (UK) in 2000 and then undertook in his PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry also at Leeds on “Probing the inhibition of the vacuolar (H⁺)-ATPase: targeting osteoporosis” (2004). After an extended period travel in Latin America he then pursued post-doctoral research in Chemical Biology at the University of Manchester (UK) on the topic re-engineering the molecular recognition properties of regulatory RNAs termed riboswitches, using rational design, high-throughput screening, directed evolution, along with structural and and biophysical characterization (2006-2010).

Neil Dixon previously held a BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship and a BBSRC Enterprise fellow based at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology(MIB). His research group is focused on developing engineering tools and technologies to enhance the capacity and introduce new capability into biological hosts for biotech and biomed applications. His group currently comprising of 3 post doctoral scientists, 5 PhD students and 2 Research Techniciasn is supported from BBSRC, EPSRC, Innovate UK, Wellcome Trust, Brazilian and Indonesian Governments.