Research       Publications       Grants       Teaching      

Dr Sarah Boyd
Australian Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Current Address Permanent Address
Bioinformatics Division Clayton School of IT, Faculty of IT
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Monash University
1G Royal Parade, Parkville Building 75, Clayton
Melbourne, Vic, 3050 Melbourne, Vic, 3800


Ph: +61 3 9345 2555 Ph: +61 3 9905 8106
Fax: +61 3 9905 5159



Email: Sarah.Boyd(at)Infotech.monash.edu.au


Research
I am interested in the application of computers to biological problems (referred to as bioinformatics), particularly in the area of molecular biology. My current research focuses on the ability to use computer programs to predict the behaviour of proteases, enzymes that act on proteins. As part of my research I have written the computational system PoPS (Prediction Of Protease Specificity). Much of this work formed the basis of my PhD thesis. I also work on problems of how to design and analyse laboratory experiments to find important information in combinatorial search spaces, making the most of limited (and expensive!) laboratory resources. I collaborate with Australian and international researchers on this work.
I currently hold an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship, and an Australian Research Council grant to continue my research into computational modelling of protease specificity.
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Publications
Kerr FK, Thomas AR, Wijeyewickrema LC, Whisstock JC, Boyd SE, Kaiserman D, Matthews AY, Bird PI, Thielens NM, Rossi V, Pike RN
Elucidation of the substrate specificity of the MASP-2 protease of the lectin complement pathway and identification of the enzyme as a major physiological target of the serpin, C1-inhibitor
Mol Immunol. 2008 Feb; vol 45(3): pp 670-7.   [PubMed]
Furmonaviciene R, Ghaemmaghami AM, Boyd SE, Jones NS, Bailey K, Willis AC, Sewell HF, Mitchell DA, Shakib F
The protease allergen Der p 1 cleaves cell surface DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR: experimental analysis of in silico substrate identification and implications in allergic responses
Clin Exp Allergy. 2007 Feb; vol 37 (2): pp 231-42.   [PubMed]
Kerr FK, O'Brien G, Quinsey NS, Whisstock JC, Boyd S, Garcia de la Banda M, Kaiserman D, Matthews AY, Bird PI, Pike RN
Elucidation of the Substrate Specificity of the C1s Protease of the Classical Complement Pathway
J. Biol. Chem. 2005 Nov 25; vol 280 (47): pp 39510-39514.   [PubMed]
Golubkov VS, Boyd S, Savinov AY, Chekanov AV, Osterman AL, Remacle A, Rozanov DV, Doxsey SJ, Strongin AY
Membrane Type-1 Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) Exhibits an Important Intracellular Cleavage Function and Causes Chromosome Instability
J Biol Chem. 2005 Jul 1; vol 280 (26): pp 25079-86.   [PubMed]
Boyd SE, Garcia de la Banda M, Pike RN, Whisstock JC, Rudy GB
PoPS: A Computational Tool for Modeling and Predicting Protease Specificity
J Bioinform Comput Biol. 2005 Jun; vol 3 (3)   [Pubmed]
Boyd SE, Garcia de la Banda M, Pike RN, Whisstock JC, Rudy GB
PoPS: A Computational Tool for Modeling and Predicting Protease Specificity
Proc IEEE Comput Syst Bioinform Conf, pp 372-381, Stanford, CA, August 2004.   [Paper pdf]   [Pubmed]   [IEEE Xplore]
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Grants
2007-2009 Australian Research Council Discovery Grant:   "Computational techniques for protease research"
Chief Investigator: SE Boyd
2004 Monash Small Grant:   "A docking approach to model protease specificity"
Chief Investigator: Dr. Maria Garcia de la Banda
Partner Investigators: SE Boyd, RN Pike and JC Whisstock
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Teaching/Supervision
PhD: Natasha Ng [Associate supervisor, current, Monash Uni]
Summer students
Advanced undergraduate students
Teaching: Third year projects, undergraduate tutoring, occasional lecturing and seminars
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Research       Publications       Grants       Teaching       Top      

Sarah.Boyd(at)Infotech.monash.edu.au
Last modified: Wed Apr 30 5:00:18 EST 2008