Dr Joseph Beckwith

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Dr Joseph BeckwithLink opens in a new window

Department of Chemistry, University of WarwickLink opens in a new window

Scientific Background

Research Interests

I am a single-molecule spectroscopist interested in understanding the fundamentals of biochemical self-assembly, as well as the chemistry these systems can do. To do this, I develop new optical methods, as well as theoretical and analysis tools, to watch the dynamics of self-assembling systems one at a time. The developing of optical methods involves optics (physically building instruments on optical tables), coding (writing analysis to understand the imaging data taken) and modelling (how can we understand how these biomolecules assemble, and how their assembled states work?).

Research Groups

Department of ChemistryLink opens in a new window

J.S. Beckwith LabLink opens in a new window

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Detail-orientated, Supportive, Collaborative.

Provision of Training

I will take responsibility for your technical training at the start of the PhD, and presume this will lead to more independence later. The technical training in the lab will be collaborative; if there are new techniques to develop/things to adjust, we will work on them collaboratively.

Progression Monitoring and Management

I like to be kept up to date, and will be in the lab and discussing troubleshooting with you on a ~weekly basis. I am relatively hands on, but I understand progress can be highly variable dependent on experiments and individual technical challenges.

Communication

I can be contacted via email within normal working hours, and I try to avoid communicating outside of that to enable the lab to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per week. These meetings will be face-to-face. I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.

Work Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings) I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week's notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5,000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Respiratory supercomplexes under the lens of single-molecule spectroscopy

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Respiratory supercomplexes under the lens of single-molecule spectroscopy

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Julie MacPherson, Dr Joshua Lawrence

University of Registration: University of Warwick

BBSRC Research Themes:

Renewable Resources and Clean Growth (Bio-energy)
Understanding the Rules of Life (Microbiology)

Project Outline

Respiration provides energy for the majority of cellular biochemistry in the form of ATP. It does so through the electron transport chain (ETC) – a network of membrane-associated enzymes which couple electron transport to proton pumping. These enzymes have been shown to form “supercomplexes”, whose assembly/disassembly and role in maintaining efficient and selective electron transport remain poorly understood. This is because supercomplexes are highly heterogeneous and exhibit dynamic assembly/disassembly in vivo. Their understanding therefore necessitates looking at supercomplex assembly and activity one molecule at a time.

This project will develop a single-molecule spectroscopy platform, building on the recently established “spatial-spectral single-molecule microscopy” technique. It will be used to track these supercomplexes in native lipid membranes from E. coli and yeast, with different protein components encoded by spectral identity (Fig. 1). Dyes such as Resazurin and DiSC3(5) will enable simultaneous tracking of the electron transfer and proton pumping activities of individual complexes. This will be combined with genetic modification to create supercomplex variants, enabling a systematic investigation of the assembly and electron-transfer dynamics.

Figure 1: Imaging single molecules, with identity encoded by colour, enables tracking in time and space. This enables the interrogation of supercomplex assembly.Link opens in a new window

This project’s discoveries should enable new green biotechnologies, which use the predictive control of these energetic pathways to produce fuels and chemicals. The system could also be used in the development of new antimicrobials designed to specifically target pathogen supercomplexes.

This interdisciplinary project will include dry lab (~20%, image analysis and kinetic modelling) and wet lab (~80%, instrumentation design and cell work) components. Supervision will be joint between the Department of Chemistry and the School of Life Sciences.