Nicholas Harmer

Nicholas Harmer

Associate Professor in Biochemistry

University of Exeter, UK

Tel: 01392 725179 

Email: N.J.Harmer@exeter.ac.uk 

 

 

 

VALIDATE Role:

Network Investigator

 

Research Keywords: 

Burkholderia pseudomallei, Coxiella burnetii, Enzymology, Structural Biology, Engineering Biology

 

Biography:

My main research interests are understanding how enzymes work, and how they can be used for medical and biotechnology purposes. I have a particular interest in the enzymes that biosynthesise bacterial polysaccharides, especially novel sugars. My group’s main aim in vaccine design is to engineer recombinant polysaccharides from bacteria that are hard to study or prepare material from. I have over twenty years’ expertise in protein science, enzymology and structural biology, and have worked with, collaborated on and advised on the characterisation of a wide range of proteins. I additionally have an interest in developing innovative methods of teaching and assessing students.

 

Related Websites: 

LinkedIn

Living Systems Institute - University of Exeter

 

Key Publications:

  • Debowski, A. W., Bzdyl, N. M., Thomas, D. R., Scott, N. E., Jenkins, C. H., Iwasaki, J., Kibble, E. A., Khoo, C. A., Scheuplein, N. J., Seibel, P. M., Lohr, T., Metters, G., Bond, C. S., Norville, I. H., Stubbs, K. A., Harmer, N. J., Holzgrabe, U., Newton, H. J., Sarkar-Tyson, M. (2023) Macrophage infectivity potentiator protein, a peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase, essential for Coxiella burnetii growth and pathogenesis, PLoS Pathogens, 19, e1011491. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011491.
  • Louis, M., Tahriouri, A., Tremlett, C. J., Clamens, T., Leprince, J., Lefranc, B., Kipnis, E., Grandjean, T., Bouffartigues, E., Barreau, M., Defontaine, F., Cornelis, P., Feuilloley, M. G. J., Harmer, N. J., Chevalier, S., Lesouhaitier, O. (2023) The natriuretic peptide receptor agonist osteocrin disperses Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm, Biofilm, 5, 100131. doi: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100131
  • Roy, S., Vivoli Vega, M., Ames, J. R., Britten, N., Kent, A., Evans, K., Isupov, M. N., Harmer, N. J., the GoVV consortium (2023) The ROK kinase N-acetylglucosamine kinase uses a sequential random enzyme mechanism with successive conformational changes upon each substrate binding, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 299, 103033. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.103033.
  • Cross, A. R., Roy, S., Vivoli Vega, M., Rejzek, M., Nepogodiev, S. A., Cliff, M., Salmon, D., Isupov, M. I., Field, R. A., Prior, J. L., Harmer, N. J., the GoVV consortium (2022) Spinning sugars in antigen biosynthesis: a direct study of the Coxiella burnetii and Streptomyces griseus TDP-sugar epimerases, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298, 101903. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101903.
  • Iwasaki, J., Lorimer, D. D., Vivoli Vega, M., Kibble, E. A., Peacock, C. S., Abendroth, J., Mayclin, S., Dranow, D. M., Pierce, P. G., Fox, D., Lewis, M., Bzdyl, N. M., Kristensen, S. S., Inglis, T. J. J., Kahler, C. M., Bond, C. S., Hasenkopf, A., Seufert, F., Schmitz, J., Erk, C., Marshall, L. E., Scott, A. E., Norville, I., H., Myler, P., J., Holzgrabe, U., Harmer, N. J., Sarkar-Tyson, M. (2022) Broad-spectrum Activity of Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator Inhibitors against Gram-negative Bacteria and Leishmania major, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 77, 1625-34. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkac065.
  • Louis, M., Clamens, T., Tahrioui, A., Desraic, F., Rodrigues, S., Rosay, T., Harmer, N., Diaz, S., Barreau, M., Racine, P.-J., Kipnis, E., Grandjean, T., Vieillard, J., Bouffartigues, E., Cornelis, P., Chevalier, S., Feuilloley, M. G. J., Lesouhaitier, O. (2022) Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Dispersion by the Human Atrial Natriuretic Peptide, Advanced Science, 9, 2103262. doi: 10.1002/advs.202103262
  • Harmer, N. J., Hill, A. M. (2021) Unique data sets and bespoke laboratory videos: teaching and assessing of experimental methods and data analysis in a pandemic, Journal of Chemical Education, 98, 4094-4100.
  • Barker, S., Harding, S. V., Gray, D., Richards, M., Atkins, H., Harmer, N. J. (2021) Drug screening to identify compounds to act as co-therapies for the treatment of pathogenic Burkholderia, PLoS One, 16, e0248119.
  • Bradshaw, W. J., Bruxelle, J.-F., Kovacs-Simon, A., Harmer, N. J., Janoir, C., Péchiné, S., Acharya, K. R., Michell, S. L. (2019) Molecular features of lipoprotein CD0873–a potential vaccine against the human pathogen Clostridioides difficile, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294, 15850-61. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.010120.
  • Finnigan, W., Cutlan, R., Snajdrova, R., Adams, J. P., Littlechild, J. A., Harmer, N. J. (2019) Engineering a seven enzyme biotransformation using mathematical modelling and characterized enzyme parts, ChemCatChem, 11, 3474-3489.