About me

I previously studied for an Integrated Master’s in Biochemistry at the University of Manchester. For my Master’s project I investigated the nascent polypeptide chain handover mechanism at the ribosome in yeast. Up until this point in my education, the process of protein synthesis had been the least-mentioned of the central dogma processes. I was therefore drawn to ribosomes mainly due to curiosity; I wanted to know more about how such complex pieces of machinery became so coordinated to produce proteins – such key organismal components! I still work in both yeast and ribosomes, but I am now working to understand their regulatory capacity in addition to their mechanism of action, which really intrigues me. My project is part of a larger collaboration with the Universities of Leeds and Nottingham (sLoLa – Ribocode), which has given me the opportunity to make new connections and work across various experimental systems.

My Project

I am studying the role of rRNA methyltransferase BUD23 in ribosome specialisation, which is the concept that ribosome heterogeneity (differently composed ribosomes) plays a regulatory role in protein synthesis. I will also be using my findings as proof of concept to investigate BUD23 in hESC ribosomes during differentiation to the three germ layers. I was drawn to this project because of its focus on fundamental biological understanding. Ribosomes are crucial pieces of machinery in protein synthesis, so the fact that our knowledge of them as regulatory bodies rather than simply passive protein “factories” is relatively limited is a big motivation for me.

Connect

Twitter: @Ribo_Ronnie

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-thuburn-13750a250/