Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC-PPU)

We study how eukaryotic cell biology is shaped by protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. Driven by our curiosity and passion to understand living creatures, our work aims to change lives by helping to cure human disease.

scientist filling up tube in lab

The MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (PPU) is  a major research centre that focuses on the understanding of the biological roles of  phosphorylation and ubiquitylation and how disruption of these processes cause human diseases such as neurodegeneration, cancer, hypertension and immune disorders.

The ultimate goal of the Unit’s research programmes is to help develop new improved strategies to treat disease. The MRC-PPU operates as a focal point between life scientists, pharmaceutical companies and clinicians to ensure that we make a critical contribution to medical research, together reaching a deeper understanding of disease.

Visit the MRC-PPU website

Director

person

Professor Dario Alessi

  • Science Director, Professor of Signal Transduction

  • Professor Alessi is a biochemical engineer whose research focuses on opening up our understanding of human health and disease. Much of his current work focuses on understanding a gene involved in Parkinson’s called LRRK2 and aims to exploit findings on this to develop improved ways to better diagnose and treat the disease.

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 388058

General Manager

Academic staff

person

Professor Yogesh Kulathu

  • Professor (Teaching and Research) of Cellular Biochemistry

  • Signal transduction mediated by the posttranslational modification of proteins in the maintenance of protein and cellular homeostasis

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 388163

person

Professor Karim Labib

  • Head of Sustainability and Climate Action, School of Life Sciences and Professor of Genome Integrity
person

Dr Amos Liang

  • Principal Investigator

  • Understanding the fundamental pathway, endoplasmic reticulum-specific autophagy

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 386452

person

Dr Chiara Maniaci

  • Principal Investigator

  • “Cleave-to-Modify”: Illuminating the “dark proteome” with novel chemical biology tools

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 388205

person

Professor John Rouse

  • Professor of Chromosome Biology and Scientific Programme Leader (MRC)

  • Control of chromosome stability and DNA repair in health and disease

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 385490

Independent Investigator

person

Dr Arpan Mehta

  • Clinical Senior Lecturer / Honorary Consultant

  • Cell signalling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease

    [email protected]

Associates

person

Professor Kim Dale

  • Professor of Developmental Molecular Biology and Vice-Principal (Global Engagement and Future Students)

  • Investigating the role of Notch signalling in building the body plan

    [email protected]

    +44 (0)1382 383171

Key contacts

Name Role Email
Alison Hart Senior Administrator [email protected]
Edwin Allen Lab Manager [email protected]
Renata Soares  Mass Spectrometry Facilities Manager [email protected]
  Technical Support [email protected]

Publications

View publications from the MRC-PPU

Stories

Press release

Double delight for Dundee in RSE honours

University of Dundee work to improve the quality of science presented within the justice system has been honoured by Scotland’s National Academy.

  • Published on 20 November 2025
News

Meet the New Innovators Shaping the Future

To mark Scotland’s national Innovation Week 2025, we spoke to Ricardo Moreno Ballesteros and Peter Ibrahim from the School of Life Sciences who started their innovation journey during their PhD studies

  • Published on 26 September 2025
News

Kodi Hunter receives the prestigious Sir James Black Award

Kodi Hunter received the award in recognition of her outstanding undergraduate research project undertaken in the lab of Professor Sir Philip Cohen's lab in the MRC PPU, which included an accepted publication in the journal FEBS Letters

  • Published on 26 June 2025
View all stories