Research areas
Enzymes catalyse virtually all chemical reactions in living organisms, making their rates compatible with life. These proteins (and sometimes RNAs) have evolved to utilize a range of strategies to achieve incredible rate enhancements in comparison with the corresponding non-catalysed reactions. The study of enzymatic mechanisms is fundamental to elucidate how enzymes work in physical and chemical terms, to guide the rational design of inhibitors, and to help engineer new activities. Here we apply techniques of biochemistry and physical organic chemistry to unravel the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions catalysed by bacterial enzymes important for pathogenic bacteria to survive and thrive, and by human enzymes important for cancer cells to survive and spread. Particular emphasis is given to transition-state structure and to the role of protein dynamics in energy barrier crossing.
PhD supervision
- Lily Bates
- Soumili Biswas
- Myriam Kabu
Selected publications
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Open access
Bates, L. & da Silva, R. G., 20 Oct 2026, In: FEBS Journal.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Review article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Pe膷aver, E., Kabu, M., Zickuhr, G. M., Harrison, D. J. & da Silva, R. G., 4 Aug 2026, In: Biochemistry. 65, 15, p. 2419-2430 12 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Tang, P., Zickuhr, G. M., Dickson, A. L., Harding, C. J., Devi, S., Lebl, T., Harrison, D. J., da Silva, R. G. & Melo Czekster, C., 21 Nov 2025, In: ACS Chemical Biology. 20, 11, p. 2547鈥�2553 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Letter 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Pecaver, E., Zickuhr, G. M., Machado, T. F. G., Harrison, D. J. & da Silva, R. G., 18 Feb 2025, In: Biochemistry. 64, 4, p. 860-870 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Carberry, A. E., Das, T., Harrison, D., Hirschi, J. & da Silva, R. G., 12 Dec 2025, In: Biochemical Journal. 482, 24, p. 1897鈥�1918 22 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Read, B., Mitchell, J. B. O. & da Silva, R. G., 6 Apr 2024, In: Communications Chemistry. 7, 13 p., 77.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Read, B., Cadzow, A., Alphey, M. S., Mitchell, J. B. O. & da Silva, R. G., 16 Jan 2024, In: Biochemistry. 63, 2, p. 230-240 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Carberry, A. E., Devi, S., Harrison, D. J. & da Silva, R. G., 2 Apr 2024, In: ChemBioChem. 25, 7, 10 p., e202400047.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Tang, P., Harding, C. J., Dickson, A., da Silva, R. G., Harrison, D. J. & Melo Czekster, C., 1 Mar 2024, In: ACS Catalysis. 14, 5, p. 3090-3102 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Fisher, G., Pecaver, E., Read, B., Leese, S., Laing, E., Dickson, A., Melo Czekster, C. & da Silva, R. G., 2 Jun 2023, In: ACS Catalysis. 13, 11, p. 7669-7679 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review