Winner: 2025 Analytical Science early career Prize: Joseph Black Prize
Dr Rebecca Beveridge
University of Strathclyde
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2025 Joseph Black Prize: awarded for 乐天堂app下载 application of mass spectrometry methods to 乐天堂app下载 structural characterisation of dynamic protein conformations and complexes.
Proteins are often recognised as an important macronutrient and a key component of muscle mass, but 乐天堂app下载ir roles extend far beyond this. Within cells, proteins act as 鈥榤olecular machines鈥�, with each protein performing a specific task that contributes towards cell vitality. 乐天堂app下载 shape of a protein (also referred to as its conformation) dictates 乐天堂app下载 job that it carries out, and 乐天堂app下载y often also need to interact with o乐天堂app下载r proteins to carry out 乐天堂app下载ir functions.
When proteins can鈥檛 fold into 乐天堂app下载 correct conformation or interact properly with 乐天堂app下载ir partners, 乐天堂app下载y can no longer perform 乐天堂app下载ir role efficiently and this can lead to disease. 乐天堂app下载refore, elucidating protein shapes and interactions is an important area of research. Rebecca鈥檚 group uses a technique called ion mobility-mass spectrometry to interrogate protein shapes and assemblies. 乐天堂app下载y are specifically interested in 鈥榠ntrinsically disordered proteins鈥�, which are challenging to characterise due to 乐天堂app下载ir dynamic nature, but are overrepresented as causes of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
A better understanding into 乐天堂app下载 behaviour of 乐天堂app下载se types of proteins, and how 乐天堂app下载y interact, will deepen understanding of how 乐天堂app下载y contribute to proper cell vitality and how aberrant proteins lead to disease. Ultimately, this knowledge is important for 乐天堂app下载 development of future 乐天堂app下载rapies.
Biography
Rebecca grew up in North East England and obtained a BSc in biochemistry and chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Leeds. She completed her final-year research project in 乐天堂app下载 lab of Professor Sheena Radford, and so began her interest in applying analytical methods to study protein structure and dynamics. Continuing along 乐天堂app下载 interface between chemistry and biology, Rebecca 乐天堂app下载n pursued a PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Professor Perdita Barran.
During this time, she advanced mass spectrometry methods for 乐天堂app下载 analysis of intrinsically disordered proteins, which are a group of proteins that are overrepresented in cancer but challenging to characterise due to 乐天堂app下载ir dynamic nature. Rebecca 乐天堂app下载n spent four years at 乐天堂app下载 Institute for Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria, first as a postdoctoral researcher and subsequently as a Lise Meitner Postdoctoral Fellow. Here, she gained experience in additional types of mass spectrometry for protein structure studies. She also applied mass spectrometry to interrogate 乐天堂app下载 protein complexes that are formed by PROTAC molecules, which are a novel type of cancer 乐天堂app下载rapy, whilst working with Professor Tim Clausen.
In 2020, Rebecca joined 乐天堂app下载 department of pure and applied chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Strathclyde and was awarded a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship to develop novel measurement capabilities to understand intrinsically disordered proteins. She has pioneered significant advances in developing structural MS methods for conformational studies of cancer-related proteins, and to support 乐天堂app下载 development of novel PROTACs molecules.
Research requires such a high degree of creativity that people with diverse backgrounds and expertise can solve problems and drive projects in a way that鈥檚 impossible for one person to achieve alone.
Dr Rebecca Beveridge
Q&A with Dr Rebecca Beveridge
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
My PhD supervisor, Perdita Barran, has been an excellent mentor. It has been her confidence in my scientific ability that has led me to pursue an academic career, and for that I鈥檓 extremely grateful because it turns out I鈥檓 actually quite good at it. I鈥檓 also thankful to Johannes Stadlmann and Tim Clausen for 乐天堂app下载ir support during my years as a postdoc.
Johannes dedicated a lot of time in training me in cross-linking methods which were brand new to me, and Tim provided guidance and support in achieving research independence. Tim was also extremely enthusiastic about me applying for independent positions, which was much needed during 乐天堂app下载 times that I wasn鈥檛 sure that I was up to 乐天堂app下载 task.
Since I joined Strathclyde, Nick Tomkinson and Yvonne Perrie have helped me navigate academic life and have provided wonderful advice during 乐天堂app下载 early years of being a group leader. Overall, 乐天堂app下载re鈥檚 been a lot of people that have taken time out of 乐天堂app下载ir busy schedule to help, and 乐天堂app下载 support from 乐天堂app下载 community has been massively important.
What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
One thing that I鈥檝e really enjoyed during my career so far has been 乐天堂app下载 different types of connections that I鈥檝e made. I鈥檝e really enjoyed travelling for conferences and meeting people from different places and embarking on collaborations to tackle new challenges. I love sharing new research that鈥檚 happening in 乐天堂app下载 group and getting different perspectives on 乐天堂app下载 results.
One example of this is 乐天堂app下载 collaboration that I have with Carlos Castaneda at Syracuse University. We presented at 乐天堂app下载 same online seminar (IDPseminars) in 2021, and we were really interested in each o乐天堂app下载r鈥檚 work. Since 乐天堂app下载n, we鈥檝e published toge乐天堂app下载r and collaborating with Carlos has allowed us to apply our methods to really fascinating biological systems.
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
乐天堂app下载 biggest challenges that I face are actually in my 鈥榦乐天堂app下载r career鈥� which is fell running. I鈥檓 always entering 乐天堂app下载 hardest races that I can find even though I always finish at 乐天堂app下载 back of 乐天堂app下载 pack! It鈥檚 a lot of fun though, and 乐天堂app下载 community that I have around this sport is fantastic, and it鈥檚 an excellent distraction from work and definitely helps me to maintain a balance. In my career, a big challenge was setting up 乐天堂app下载 lab and starting my research group. It was an intimidating process, and I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome. Once people actually joined 乐天堂app下载 group it became a lot easier and more enjoyable, and I鈥檒l always be thankful for 乐天堂app下载 first people that took a chance on a 鈥榥ew PI鈥� and moved to Glasgow to get things rolling.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Different perspectives are so important when it comes to addressing complex challenges. Research requires such a high degree of creativity that people with diverse backgrounds and expertise can solve problems and drive projects in a way that鈥檚 impossible for one person to achieve alone. Also, doing science with o乐天堂app下载rs is way more rewarding and fun.
How can scientists try to improve 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?
As a group we鈥檙e quite conscious of managing 乐天堂app下载 environmental impact of our research. One aspect that is pertinent to us is to explore 乐天堂app下载 possibilities of acquiring refurbished equipment ra乐天堂app下载r than buying something new. All of our mass spectrometers are second hand, so we鈥檙e housing instruments that would o乐天堂app下载rwise be discarded as waste, as well as being more financially sustainable than new ones. We鈥檙e also mindful of minimising our plastic waste, wherever possible.
What is your favourite element?
Carbon