Our Laboratory

Our laboratory joined the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science at King's College London in 2021. We are located at the Franklin-Wilkins Building in the heart of London.

The laboratory has all the facilities for cloning, expression, and purification of a wide range of proteins. The lab is equipped with an anaerobic glovebox to work with oxygen-sensitive iron-sulfur proteins, a state-of-the-art system for running western blots, and a dedicated LC-MS system to study enzyme reactions. We have access to state-of-the-art research facilities including a fully equipped cell culture lab, modern protein and western blot imaging system, UV-visible spectrophotometers, and NMR facility.

Our laboratory leads a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action crossing boundaries of bioinorganic chemistry and immunology (read more). We collaborate with various groups in the United Kingdom and across Europe.

Our Stories

Our team is dynamic and multicultural. We are driven by our passion and desire to reveal the secrets of life and use the knowledge to treat diseases like cancer.

Kourosh H. Ebrahimi

Principle Investigator

I was born in Iran. After finishing my undergraduate and graduate studies in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, respectively, I did my PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry under the supervision of Prof Wilfred R. Hagen (TU Delft). As a postdoc, I had the privilege to work with Prof Michael Farzan (Harvard Medical School), and Prof Fraser A. Armstrong, Prof William S. James, and Prof James McCullagh (all at the University of Oxford). In October 2021, I joined the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science as a Lecturer. Painting with oil on canvas is my hobby.

Yujie Sheng

PhD Student

I am from China. I got my master's degree in Drug Discovery and Development (UCL). My research interest lies in the interface of nanotechnology and therapeutic developments. In my PhD studies, I work on developing a new nanotechnology platform and its use to make nanobots to make new antiviral preventives. Cycling and listening to music are my hobbies.

Thao Nghi Hoang

PhD Student, Vietnam Ministry of Education Fellow

I come from Vietnam. I have an MSc degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. My research focuses on elucidating the emerging role of iron-sulfur clusters and proteins like the antiviral enzyme SAND in immunometabolism and oncometabolism. I am a movieholic and also have a crazy passion for food.

Mengdi (Luna) Wu

PhD Student, CSC scholarship

I'm from China. I have a bachelor's degree in acupuncture-moxibustion and a master's degree in TCM. My PhD research focuses on investigating the emerging role of iron-sulfur proteins in the immune response and their potential for developing novel biocatalysts for preventing viral infections. I am fond of anime and reading psychology books.

Marco Gjonaj

M.Sc. student

I am from London and currently pursuing a master’s degree in Biochemistry. My research focuses on discovering potential SAND enzymes and analyzing their antiviral activity using the VITAS assay. Outside of academia, I enjoy reading, boxing, and cooking.

Elçin Su Karavelioğlu

M.Sc. student

I am from Turkey and currently doing my M.Sc. degree in Pharmaceutical Analysis, Technology, and Biopharmaceuticals. My research project focuses on developing nanobots as antiviral preventives. I take pleasure in exploring new places and capturing moments through photography.

Yuao Guo

M.Sc. student

I am from China and currently pursuing my master's degree in Pharmaceutical Analysis, Technology, and Biopharmaceuticals. My research project focuses on discovering and characterizing new antiviral radical-SAM enzymes. In my free time, I enjoy traveling to different cities to experience the local scenery, culture, and food.