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

LMB News
LMB achieves Leaders in Openness status
Insight on Research
The hidden rules of mRNA transport
LMB News
Edith Heard to deliver 2026 César Milstein Lecture
LMB News
Lori Passmore elected as an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences
LMB News
Manu Hegde elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Nic Farmer
LMB News
Race Equality Lead Nic Farmer receives their CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice
View All
Next
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 Events

divisional seminar 26 / 05 / 2026
Tracing the metabolic origins of endogenous DNA damage Meng Wang, Cornell University
lmb seminar 08 / 06 / 2026
LMB Seminar: Insights into rejuvenation by cellular reprogramming Manuel Serrano, Altos Labs
divisional seminar 18 / 06 / 2026
Quantitative molecular models of proteome-scale signaling networks enabled by machine learning Julia Rogers, Columbia University
lmb named 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 01 / 07 / 2026
Title TBC Sarah Caddy, Cornell University
View All
Next
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

Intracellular potassium levels orchestrate circadian rhythmicity and cell division. (22nd May 2026)Gil Rodríguez S, Hansen LL, Fraser OJP, Chew YP, Spangler RK, Grünewald E, Beale AD, Rabbitts BM, Stangherlin A, O'Neill JS, Partch CL, Crosby P, van Ooijen GNat Commun • doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-73351-2
The amyloid packing difference: A pairwise comparison metric for amyloid structures. (22nd May 2026)Scheres SHWStructure • doi: 10.1016/j.str.2026.04.014
The Golgi vesicle tether p115/USO1 can bind directly to the ER exit site organiser Sec16A. (22nd May 2026)Yakunin I, Gillingham AK, Pereira C, Gershlick DC, Munro SJ Cell Sci • doi: 10.1242/jcs.264894
De novo design of miniproteins targeting GPCRs. (21st May 2026)Muratspahić E, Feldman D, Kim DE, Qu X, Bratovianu AM, Rivera-Sánchez P, Voss JH, Hertz EPT, Jeppesen M, Dimitri F, Sakamoto K, Nallathambi A, Peceli P, Cao J, Cary BP, Belousoff MJ, Keov P, Trinh PNH, Chen Q, Ren Y, Fine J, Mishra S, Dalal A, Sinha S, Banerjee R, Ganguly M, Karuppusamy KV, Sappington I, Schlichthaerle T, Zhang JZ, Pillai A, Coventry B, Mihaljević L, Bauer M, Torres SV, Motmaen A, Lee GR, Tran L, Wang X, Goreshnik I, Vafeados DK, Svendsen JE, Hosseinzadeh P, Lindegaard N, Brandt M, Waltenspühl Y, Deibler K, Deweid L, Bennett A, Schöppe J, Dong T, Yan X, Oostdyk L, Cao W, Anantharaman L, Weisser JJ, Bastlund JF, Bundgaard C, Asuni AA, English JG, Stewart L, Halloran L, Spangler JB, Lieber A, Shukla AK, Sexton PM, Roth BL, Krumm BE, Wootten D, Tate CG, Norn C, Baker DNature • doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10656-8
The prenatal sex steroid theory of autism after 25 years. (20th May 2026)Baron-Cohen S, Tsompanidis A, Srivastava DP, Mill J, Lancaster MA, Adhya D, Warrier VNat Hum Behav • doi: 10.1038/s41562-026-02437-0
Autism-like phenotypes and increased NMDAR2D expression in mice with KDM5B histone lysine demethylase deficiency. (22nd May 2026)Pérez-Sisqués L, Bhatt SU, Caruso A, Robb JL, Donovan APA, Bamford R, Torres-Cano A, Spring S, Hendy E, Gileadi TE, Panasiuk M, Trengove J, Jindal N, Ahmed MU, Sabbioni M, Taylor-Papadimitriou J, Cash D, Clifton N, Ellegood J, Andreae LC, Lerch JP, Scattoni ML, Giese KP, Fernandes C, Basson MASci Adv • 12(21):eadq6577 • doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adq6577
Twelve phosphomimetic mutations induce the assembly of recombinant full-length human tau into paired helical filaments. (20th May 2026)Lövestam S, Wagstaff JL, Katsinelos T, Shi J, Freund SMV, Goedert M, Scheres SHWElife • 14 • doi: 10.7554/eLife.104778
Architecture of clathrin-independent AP3:ARF1-coated carriers. (15th May 2026)Kaufman JGG, Tagiltsev G, Stalder DS, Taylor RJ, Sava I, Guo H, Ciazynska KA, Zaccai NR, Gray SR, Vallis Y, Höning S, Kelly BT, Gershlick DC, Briggs JAG, Owen DJSci Adv • 12(20):eaed1529 • doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aed1529
Search Published Research

Loading...