Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Ashley Buckle has more than three decades of expertise in structural biology and protein engineering, with a focus on combining state-of-the-art protein biochemistry, biophysical, structural and computational approaches in protein engineering programs. Ashley trained at the MRC Centre for Protein Engineering in Cambridge, under the supervision of Sir Alan Fersht, a founder and pioneer of protein engineering. He has published influential research in diverse areas of protein science, and has made major contributions to protein structure/folding/function, protein design and engineering, bioinformatics, molecular dynamics, immunology, and protease biology. He has consistently published in the best journals, which include Science, PNAS (x10), Nature Struct. Mol. Biol. (x2), Nature Chem. Biol., Nature Communications and Nature Immunology (x2). He has published 152 papers in total, with an h-index of 48 and more than 8000 citations. He has secured in excess of $15 million in research funding and is the named co-inventor on 8 patents. Career highlights include the co-invention of minichaperone protein refolding technology (PNAS x2 1997), leading to MRC spin out Avidis; discovery of mechanisms of autoinactivation and antibody recognition of GAD65, an autoantigen in type 1 diabetes and regulator of neurotransmitter homeostasis (Nature S&MB 2007, PNAS 2014); design of hyperstable non-antibody scaffolds for therapeutic and diagnostic use (PEDS 2015, 2016 ); creation of new biologics for augmentation therapy for antitrypsin deficiency-related emphysema; and design of novel multi-specific immunoglobulin-like molecules. Several projects are currently involved in commercialisation activities.
In 2020 Ashley founded PTNG Consulting, specialising in providing solutions in structural biology, protein engineering and design, and computational biology. In collaboration with partners from industry and academia, PTNG is also using protein engineering approaches to create a toolbox of novel synthetic protein therapeutics, notably antibodies, antibody-like proteins and serine protease inhibitors. In 2021 he founded Biovidera, a molecular visualisation and animation company.
Ashley is currently Senior Director of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology, at Replay Holdings LLC, a VC-backed cell and gene therapy company with headquarters in San Diego, USA. He is also Head of Replay Asia Pacific.
Bioinformatics databases we have developed:
PTNG Consulting | CV | LinkedIn | Twitter | PubMed | ORCID | Google Scholar | Lab Facebook page
Biography
I completed my PhD in 1994 in the laboratory of Prof Sir Alan Fersht at the University of Cambridge, on the structure determination of protein-DNA and protein-protein complexes. As a postdoc then staff scientist at the MRC Centre Cambridge, I made contributions to the understanding of protein stability, molecular recognition and the action of molecular chaperones. I relocated to Monash University, Australia in 2003 where I headed the Protein Engineering and Design Lab until 2020. I have published more than 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers (H-index = 48, >8000 citations) in diverse areas of protein science, including structure/folding/function, design/engineering, bioinformatics, molecular dynamics, immunology, and protease biology.
In 2020 I founded PTNG Biologics, focussing on the engineering of proteins, notably antibodies, antibody-like proteins and serine protease inhibitors, for use as therapeutics. I also founded PTNG Consulting, a consultancy in protein engineering.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Head, Replay Asia Pacific
1 Jan 2022 → …
Senior Director of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology, Replay Holdings LLC
1 Jan 2022 → …
Founder & Non-Executive Director, Biovidera
1 Jan 2021 → …
Founder & Non-Executive Director, PTNG Consulting
1 Jan 2020 → …
Research area keywords
- Protein design
- Protein Biophysics
- Protein folding
- Protein engineering
- Molecular Dynamics
- Directed evolution
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Structure-based antigen design as a novel strategy for precision mRNA vaccines
Quast, I., Buckle, A., La Gruta, N., Hill, D. & Beilharz, T.
15/05/23 → 15/05/25
Project: Research
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Recombinant alpha-1 antitrypsin as a novel therapy for pandemic influenza
King, P., Bardin, P., Londigran, S. & Buckle, A.
United States Department of Defense (DOD)
15/04/22 → 14/04/24
Project: Research
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Radiopharmaceutical-ImmunoOncology Combination Therapies - INT-0723
Chandler, P. G. & Buckle, A.
1/01/20 → 1/08/20
Project: Research
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Design and engineering of adnectins for diagnosis and therapy
Buckle, A. & Jackson, C.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/17 → 31/12/19
Project: Research
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A metal ion–dependent conformational switch modulates activity of the Plasmodium M17 aminopeptidase
Webb, C. T., Yang, W., Riley, B. T., Hayes, B. K., Sivaraman, K. K., Malcolm, T. R., Harrop, S., Atkinson, S. C., Kass, I., Buckle, A. M., Drinkwater, N. & McGowan, S., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. 298, 7, 13 p., 102119.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Author Correction: Enoxaparin augments alpha-1-antitrypsin inhibition of TMPRSS2, a promising drug combination against COVID-19 (Scientific Reports, (2022), 12, 1, (5207), 10.1038/s41598-022-09133-9)
Bai, X., Buckle, A. M., Vladar, E. K., Janoff, E. N., Khare, R., Ordway, D., Beckham, D., Fornis, L. B., Majluf-Cruz, A., Fugit, R. V., Freed, B. M., Kim, S., Sandhaus, R. A. & Chan, E. D., 19 Apr 2022, In: Scientific Reports. 12, 1, 2 p., 6466.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Enoxaparin augments alpha-1-antitrypsin inhibition of TMPRSS2, a promising drug combination against COVID-19
Bai, X., Buckle, A. M., Vladar, E. K., Janoff, E. N., Khare, R., Ordway, D., Beckham, D., Fornis, L. B., Majluf-Cruz, A., Fugit, R. V., Freed, B. M., Kim, S., Sandhaus, R. A. & Chan, E. D., Dec 2022, In: Scientific Reports. 12, 1, 14 p., 5207.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access6 Citations (Scopus) -
Polymer End Group Control through a Decarboxylative Cobalt-Mediated Radical Polymerization: New Avenues for Synthesizing Peptide, Protein, and Nanomaterial Conjugates
Ayurini, M., Chandler, P. G., O'Leary, P., Wang, R., Rudd, D., Milewska, K. D., Malins, L. R., Buckle, A. M. & Hooper, J., 24 Jan 2022, In: JACS Au. 2, 1, p. 169-177 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the serpin superfamily
Spence, M. A., Mortimer, M. D., Buckle, A. M., Minh, B. Q. & Jackson, C. J., Jul 2021, In: Molecular Biology and Evolution. 38, 7, p. 2915-2929 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access18 Citations (Scopus)
Press/Media
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Creating order from disorder: uncovering the origins of protein evolution
22/01/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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The spark that created life
12/09/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Social Media Article
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The spark that created life
12/09/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Social Media Article
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The inaugural Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) Industry Showcase event
Ashley Buckle & Peter Geoffrey Chandler
15/11/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research