Dr Joe Boyle

My current project aims to find a novel small molecule inhibitor for the innate immune receptor TLR4. I am taking an in silico approach by using target- and ligand-based virtual screens to find molecules which bind to the extracellular region of TLR4. High-scoring molecules will be assessed for their ability to inhibit NFkB activation through the TLR4 receptor in HEK293 cells and to inhibit cytokine production in RAW293 cells. Molecules with activity in the low micromolar range will be adapted in order to analyse their structure-activity relationship with the intention of producing potent TLR4 inhibitors. 

Other interests include structural analysis of the assembly of Caspase Recruitment Domain (CARD) complexes and phylogenetic analysis of the Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerisation Domain Receptor (NLR) family.