My current research interests are the organisation and regulation of the eukaryotic retrograde membrane traffic pathway. This process uses vesicular and tubular membrane carriers which transport proteins from the cell membrane, through the Golgi and to the endoplasmic reticulum. I am particularly interested in how the retrograde pathway functions, and what protein machinery is involved in regulating the timing and specificity of these trafficking steps.

To identify the key players involved in the retrograde pathway, I am using an RNA interference based genome wide screen using fluorescently-labelled toxins. The lab is equipped with a liquid handler for plate preparation and a high-throughput light microscope to image the cells. We also have the Columbus analysis software, a high-volume image data management and analysis system, to analyse and assess the results.

Key techniques include:

• RNA interference
• Reverse transfection of cell arrays
• Automated Liquid Handling
  
• High content screening (HCS) and cell-based assays
• Advanced light microscopy approaches
• Columbus data management and analysis system