Protein Design and Synthetic Biology research lab in the School of Chemistry, University of Bristol and the Center for Protein Design, University of Copenhagen.
Bristol, UK & Copenhagen, DK
Joined August 2018
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Watch Dek introduce the work we do here in the Woolfson group at Bristol on understanding the protein folding problem and de novo protein design youtu.be/AmHnkU7zzhY
If you’re interested in shaping the future of protein design in a new, multidisciplinary centre, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Center PA, Michala Yun-Joo Schlichtkrull, [email protected]
Apply by 4 March 2026 (23:59 GMT+1)
PhD students will work with core CPD groups with Dek Woolfson and Nicholas Taylor, alongside collaborators across UCPH and internationally.
You’ll be part of a supportive and ambitious research environment from day one.
Projects span:
• Folding and dynamics in de novo proteins
• Installing catalytic activity into designed scaffolds
• Targeting cellular functions
• Designing molecular machines
• Protein design for improved phage therapy
We encourage applications from students with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science. Experience in protein design is welcome but not required. Curiosity, motivation, and a genuine interest in interdisciplinary science matter most.
CPD is welcoming its first cohort of PhD students.
We’re building a collaborative centre focused on designing new proteins from first principles, combining computation, AI, and experiment.
🚀We’re excited to announce fully funded PhD positions in de novo protein design at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design (CPD), University of Copenhagen.🧬✨
Start: September 2026
Apply by 4 March 2026
candidate.hr-manager.net/App…
Please share!
WoolfsonLab retweeted
Designing proteins from scratch opens exciting new possibilities for solving global challenges in health and sustainability. That is why we are funding an ambitious new Center for Protein Design at @koebenhavns_uni.
Led by Professor Dek Woolfson, world-renowned in this field, the centre aims to build on recent breakthroughs to establish a powerhouse for protein design in Europe.
Read more: novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news…
From sequence–structure analysis of natural 3HBs, we derived polar layer packing rules + charge patterning to design 2x ABN heterotrimer peptides, seeding hyperstable, monomeric proteins in clockwise & anticlockwise topologies by precisely controlling helix–helix interfaces.
New paper from our group combines rational and computational design to build antiparallel 3-helix bundle (3HB) assemblies and single-chain proteins with defined topology and tunable thermal stability. 🧩pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/Arti…
This dual base will allow us to build a strong bridge between the two institutions, facilitating the exchange of ideas, people, and expertise in protein design. We look forward to deepening our links with Copenhagen and to contributing to the CPD’s exciting mission!
As part of this new chapter, our research group will expand its activities to Copenhagen, forming a joint presence across both sites. We will continue to operate in Bristol, while establishing new lines of research and collaborations within the CPD.
As part of this, Dek will share his time between Bristol and Copenhagen, remaining a Professor at the University of Bristol, helping maintain and grow these links.
To support international exchange and mobility, the CPD will establish a network of Research Spokes, with the first based at the University of Bristol. This will strengthen and expand ongoing collaborations, serve as a platform for joint research, and shared training initiatives.
Dek has driven partnerships across chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, materials science, and computational design. This collaborative ethos will be at the heart of the CPD, fostering strong ties across faculties, departments, and institutions.
A key strength of the CPD will be its deep commitment to interdisciplinary and collaborative research, both within Denmark and internationally. Dek brings a wealth of experience in building and leading such efforts, notably through BrisSynBio and the Bristol BioDesign Institute.
The CPD will span the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH, with core activities in the Department of Biology and the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, and additional contributions from Departments of Chemistry and Computer Science.
It will be a world-leading hub for de novo protein design, advancing fundamental understanding of protein structure and function while developing novel proteins to address challenges in healthcare, biotechnology, and sustainability.
The Centre is supported by a 700 million DKK (≈£80 million) grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, awarded for an initial period of seven years. The CPD will officially launch in August 2025.
We are thrilled to announce that Professor Dek Woolfson has been appointed Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Design (CPD) at the University of Copenhagen.
novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news…
🚛🧬 New paper on rXiv! We reveal how cargo binding activates kinesin-1 by dislocating the TPR shoulder — a key structural switch that unlocks motor movement.
Happy reading!
🔗biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
