Melissa Sweeney

Melissa studies the structure of complexes involved in parasite invasion and antibodies that bind to these to drive our understanding of the function of these complexes and vaccine design to target these to treat diseases such as malaria. 

Previously, Melissa investigated the structural and chemical biology of BTB-Kelch E3 ligases and identification of PROTACs for these prolific enzymes to discern how they are regulated to control growth factor signalling at the Centre for Medicines Discovery at the University of Oxford. During her time in the CMD, Melissa was also awarded a Medical Sciences Division Pump Priming award from the University of Oxford to conduct pilot studies into novel E3 ligases involved in gram-negative bacterial host invasion and immune evasion. Melissa completed her PhD at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia focusing on the characterisation of mammalian and bacterial E3 ligases within the innate immune response.

Having completed a Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (Higher Education) and become an Associate Fellow of HEA, Melissa is also a lecturer in biochemistry at Trinity College, University of Oxford.