3D colour-coded reconstruction of a fruit fly brain connectome, detailing intricate neuronal networks across distinct regions.

Discovering
how life works

This 3D rendering shows the neural connections in a fruit fly brain, which is less than 1 mm across. Read more about the rendering, Greg Jefferis’s group and the FlyWire Consortium.
Molecular model of a replisome, a multi-protein complex (colored blobs) actively replicating a DNA double helix (yellow strand).

Research that spans the breadth of biology

The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) is a research institute dedicated to the understanding of fundamental biological processes at the levels of atoms, molecules, cells and organisms. The knowledge we provide is crucial to solving key problems in human health.

Our Science
A 3D image of the human replisome, the molecular machinery that copies our DNA, captured using electron cryomicroscopy. Discover more about the research exploring how these complexes work.

Latest News

Ivana Bukvin
LMB News
Ivana Bukvin joins the LMB’s PNAC Division as new Group Leader
Insight on Research
TRIM21 induces autophagy to defend against cell-invading pathogens
Insight on Research
Imaging mass spectrometry adds the chemical dimension to cryo‑EM
LMB News
LMB achieves Leaders in Openness status
Insight on Research
The hidden rules of mRNA transport
Edith Heard
LMB News
Edith Heard to deliver 2026 César Milstein Lecture
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Three women sit at a table smiling and gesturing during a discussion, with one woman's back to the viewer and notebooks on the table.

An unsurpassed environment for researchers

The LMB comprises over 50 scientific groups pursuing ambitious research, supported by cutting-edge scientific facilities and generous core-funding by the MRC/UKRI. We occupy an inspiring, purpose-built building on the thriving Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

Working at the LMB

Public Engagement

How we connect with society and inspire the next generation.

Upcoming Seminars & Events

divisional seminar 18 / 06 / 2026
Quantitative molecular models of proteome-scale signaling networks enabled by machine learning Julia Rogers, Columbia University
divisional seminar 18 / 06 / 2026
Time, Geometry and Relevance in Olfaction Prof. Dmitry Rinberg, NYU Langone Medical Centre, USA
lmb seminar 19 / 06 / 2026
LMB Seminar: Transcriptional trickery controls RNA abundance during viral stress Britt Glaunsinger, UC Berkeley
divisional seminar 19 / 06 / 2026
Title TBC Jonethan Pruneda, Oregon Health & Science University
divisional seminar 22 / 06 / 2026
Understanding how phosphoinositide kinases are regulated in health and disease John Burke, Dept. Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Canada
divisional seminar 25 / 06 / 2026
A high-resolution dive into mRNA dynamics at synapses Sulagna Das, Departments of Cell Biology and Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine
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Fluorescent micrograph of a neuronal cell body with numerous radiating filamentous processes.

Progressing science for over 60 years

Since our origins in 1947, the LMB has pioneered the molecular biology revolution and is a world-leading source of new ideas, scientific advances and technology. Our discoveries have led to highly successful commercialisations and medical advances that have improved human life.

Explore Our History Timeline
An axon bundle growing from a human brain organoid within a micropatterned device. Read more about research into axon growth and human brain development. 

Latest Publications

Mechanisms of ubiquitylation of the mitotic regulatory protein Cdc20. (16th Jun 2026)Sitry-Shevah D, Miniowitz-Shemtov S, Liburkin Dan T, Barford D, Hershko AProc Natl Acad Sci U S A • 123(24):e2612003123 • doi: 10.1073/pnas.2612003123
Distributed control circuits across a brain-and-cord connectome. (8th Jun 2026)Bates AS, Phelps JS, Kim M, Yang HH, Matsliah A, Ajabi Z, Perlman E, Delgado KM, Osman MAM, Salmon CK, Gager J, Silverman B, Renauld S, Salman F, Patel J, Collie MF, Fan J, Pacheco DA, Zhao Y, Zhang W, Capdevila LS, Roberts RJV, Munnelly EJ, Griggs N, Langley H, Moya-Llamas B, Zhang Z, Maloney RT, Yu SC, Sterling AR, Sorek M, Kruk K, Serafetinidis N, Dhawan S, Klemm F, Brooks P, Lesser E, Jones JM, Pierce-Lundgren SE, Lee SY, Luo Y, Cook AP, McKim TH, Giakoumas DS, Gorko B, Ellis-Joyce J, Zhang J, Kophs EC, Falt T, Negron-Morales AM, Burke A, Hebditch J, Willie KP, Willie R, Popovych S, Kemnitz N, Ih D, Lee K, Lu R, Halageri A, Bae JA, Jourdan B, Schwartzman G, Demarest DD, Behnke E, Bland D, Kristiansen A, Skelton J, Stocks T, Garner D, Hernandez A, Kumar S, Daly KC, Dorkenwald S, Collman F, Suver MP, Fenk LM, Pankratz MJ, Yao Z, Wang F, Huston SJ, Stürner T, Jefferis GSXE, Eichler K, Seeds AM, Hampel S, Agrawal S, Okubo TS, Zandawala M, Macrina T, Adjavon DY, Funke J, Tuthill JC, Azevedo A, Seung HS, de Bivort BL, Murthy M, Drugowitsch J, Wilson RI, Lee WANature • doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10735-w
Cryo-EM: the revolution continues. (1st Jul 2026)Subramaniam S, Kühlbrandt W, Henderson RIUCrJ • doi: 10.1107/S2052252526003842
Disrupting phage liquid crystalline droplets restores antibiotic susceptibility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. (5th Jun 2026)Tarafder AK, Graham M, Davis LK, Pratt S, Böhning J, Manivannan P, Wang Z, Clemente CM, Weimann A, Floto RA, Owens RJ, O'Toole GA, Pearce P, Bharat TAMPLoS Biol • 24(6):e3003834 • doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003834
TRIM21 induces selective autophagy of viruses and bacteria. (4th Jun 2026)Rhinesmith T, Albecka A, Vaysburd M, Puri C, Luptak J, Boulanger J, Nguyen Le QM, Gratian MJ, O'Connell K, Few L, Donaldson-Wing M, Kozik P, Rubinsztein DC, James LCMol Cell • doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2026.04.031
De Novo Design of Near-Infrared Fluorescence-Activating Proteins. (2nd Jun 2026)Liu Y, Arús BA, Mishra K, Wang T, Zhang K, Luciano MP, Bandi VG, Kumar A, Guo Z, Guan Y, Bick MJ, Xu M, Lingg J, Bae J, Kang A, Gerben SR, Bera AK, Vaughan JC, Manton JD, Derivery E, Schnermann MJ, Stiel AC, Bruns OT, Xu C, Baker DJ Am Chem Soc • doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c19594
Design principles of human membrane protein topology. (3rd Aug 2026)Wu H, Hegde RSJ Cell Biol • 225(8) • doi: 10.1083/jcb.202604059
Small Molecule Activators of Protein Phosphatase 2A Exert Global Stabilizing Effects on the Scaffold PR65. (25th May 2026)Naqvi MM, Zacharopoulou M, Saha S, Banerjee A, Yilmaz SZ, Sunderlikova V, Johnson CM, Kumita JR, Yang SH, Gordon R, Ohlmeyer M, Tans SJ, Gur M, Bahar I, Itzhaki LSJACS Au • 6(5):2753-2765 • doi: 10.1021/jacsau.6c00003
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