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5 steps to stay COVID-safe

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Reduced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 by vaccine and convalescent serum

Antibody evasion by the P.1 strain of SARS-CoV-2

Zooming in on virus-receptor interaction Nature Commun (2017)

A TRP channel structure by cyro-EM

OPIC laboratory, scientist at microscope

Oxford Particle Imaging Centre (OPIC) is located in the Henry Wellcome Building for Particle Imaging and forms part of the Division of Structural Biology (STRUBI) within the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine.

The biosafety containment facility allows scientists to study pathogenic human and animal viruses, using a range of imaging, structural biology and biophysical techniques.

Latest publications

Insertion of atypical glycans into the tumor antigen-binding site identifies DLBCLs with distinct origin and behavior.
Journal article

Chiodin G. et al, (2021), Blood
The Duration, Dynamics, and Determinants of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Antibody Responses in Individual Healthcare Workers
Journal article

Lumley SF. et al, (2021), Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73, e699 - e709
Site-Specific Steric Control of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycosylation.
Journal article

Allen JD. et al, (2021), Biochemistry
Bispecific repurposed medicines targeting the viral and immunological arms of COVID-19.
Journal article

Redhead MA. et al, (2021), Scientific reports, 11

Focus of our research

Scientist at microscopeTo understand the biology of viruses and how they infect their host cells, it is important to be able to study the viruses in their infectious native state and also in their cellular context.

Groups in OPIC focus in studying structures of purified virus particles and virus host-cell interactions. OPIC houses state-of-the-art biosafety containment laboratories at ACDP category 3 and DEFRA 4 levels of containment. This facilitates the study of a number of viruses that are important to human and animal health.

Examples of our research

STRUCTURAL CELL BIOLOGY OF VIRUS INFECTION

Kay Grünewald - Our aim is a comprehensive picture of the functional interaction between viral protein complexes and cellular structures in the course of the infection. Viruses being studied include Herpes simplex virus type 1 and HIV. Read full biography

STRUCTURES AND HOST CELL INTERACTIONS OF EMERGING VIRUSES

Juha Huiskonen - We study the ultrastructure and cell entry mechanisms of viruses causing heamorrhagic fevers. Current focus is members of Arenaviridae (Lassa virus) and Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever virus). Read full biography

A PIPELINE FOR STRUCTURAL VACCINOLOGY

Dave Stuart - We use atomic resolution structures of viral particles to guide the design of stabilized vaccines. This ‘structural vaccinology’ approach is used for the development of a safe, synthetic stabilised virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine for foot and-mouth disease virus and poliovirus. Read full biography

OPIC in a nutshell

Biosafety containment (ACDP3/DEFRA4)

Electron cryo-microscopy and tomography

Cell culture

Virus production and purification

Live cell imaging

Biophysical characterization

ACCESS

Access to this facility can be made directly through embookings@strubi.ox.ac.uk Please see Access Tab for pricing and further information.

Access for European researchers is also available through the Instruct-ERIC (pan-European Research Infrastructure in Structural Biology). Free at point of use through peer review.