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We study how proteins are regulated — and, increasingly, how they are regulated by mechanisms that were not supposed to exist.

Our work centres on protein polyphosphate modification (PPM), a new class of post-translational modification in which proteins are altered not by covalent chemistry but by ionic association with inorganic polyphosphate. We have shown that this modification is widespread across human and yeast proteins, and that it can shut down a kinase, silence a transcription factor, and disrupt phase separation. Alongside this, we work on AI protein and drug design and antivirulence strategies against bacterial pathogens.

The lab combines biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, and cell biology, and works closely with collaborators across Canada and internationally.

Led by Dr. Zongchao Jia in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen’s University.