Sofia Mroz
About me
I am a second year PhD student on the MIBTP, working with Phill Stansfeld and Ann Dixon, studying the inner membrane organisation of Bacillus subtilis. My work focuses on the flotillin proteins, a group of proteins that are been proposed to aid in efficient cell signalling by forming large oligomeric cages, where other important protein complexes are suggested to assemble.
Previously, I completed a BSc in Chemistry with Mathematics from University College London and an MRes from the University of Southampton, where I used solid-state NMR to study cell membrane dynamics.
Key techniques used
My PhD project combines computational and experimental methods to obtain a molecular-level understanding of protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions.
- AlphaFold-based protein folding
- Coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations
- Python-based programming
- Molecular biology - designing and constructing plasmids for protein expression, molecular cloning to design mutants, site-directed mutagenesis
- Biochemistry - recombinant protein overexpression and purification
- Biophysical characterisation - circular dichroism, linear dichroism, NMR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy