Molecular and structural techniques are used to address a wide range of immunological problems
Cambridge has a strong tradition in molecular biology with the techniques of molecular biology having been rapidly applied to problems of immunological interest. This began with Rodney Porter’s initial studies in the Department of Biochemistry on the structure of IgG and Cesar Milstein's work at MRC-LMB on the nature of antibody diversity, both using protein chemical techniques developed by their mentor Fred Sanger. Work on the molecular mechanisms involved in the generation of antigen receptor diversity, as well as in the field of antibody engineering, continue at MRC-LMB, Babraham and the Department of Pathology. Molecular and structural techniques have, however, been exploited to approach a much wider range of immunological problems including gene expression, signalling, haematopoiesis, antigen presentation, infection, innate immunity, lymphoid malignancies and autoimmunity - underpinning programmes at nearly all the sites in Cambridge where research is carried out in immunobiology. Protein structural analysis is particularly strong at the MRC-LMB and CIMR, for example.
