Robert Neely

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Robert Neely's research interests are focussed on the development of tools for studying the genome. We focus on the DNA methyltransferase enzymes, which we employ to modify DNA with functional groups. We've developed methods for imaging the DNA sequence (DNA barcodes) and for isolating and analysing the active elements of our genome using DNA sequencing. Work from my group recently led to the spin-out of Tagomics from the University, a biotech company that is focussed on the early detection of cancer.

Research activity per year

28 Article
2 Review article
2 Preprint
1 Chapter

33 results

2025
Expansion microscopy allows quantitative characterisation of structural organisation of platelet aggregates
Faulkner, E., Pike, J., Garlick, E., Neely, R., Styles, I., Watson, S., Poulter, N. & Thomas, S., 15 Apr 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2023
Single molecule tracking of myelin basic protein during oligodendrocyte differentiation
Rassul, M., Otsu, M., Styles, I., Neely, R. & Fulton, D., 20 Nov 2023, In: Biological Imaging. 3, 18 p., e24.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
64 Downloads (Pure)
Sterically enhanced control of enzyme-assisted DNA assembly
Irving, O. J., Matthews, L., Coulthard, S., Neely, R. K., Grant, M. M. & Albrecht, T., 27 Feb 2023, bioRxiv.
Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint
Sterically Enhanced Control of Enzyme-Assisted DNA Assembly
Irving, O. J., Matthews, L., Coulthard, S., Neely, R. K., Grant, M. M. & Albrecht, T., 16 Nov 2023, In: ChemBioChem. 24, 22, 6 p., e202300361.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
62 Downloads (Pure)
2022
Imaging nanoscale nuclear structures with expansion microscopy
Faulkner, E., Pike, J., Densham, R., Garlick, E., Thomas, S., Neely, R. & Morris, J., 19 Jul 2022, In: Journal of Cell Science. 135, 14, 11 p., jcs259009.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
163 Downloads (Pure)
2021
FRET-based method for direct, real-time measurement of DNA methyltransferase activity
Long, Y., Ubych, K., Jagu, E. & Neely, R. K., 20 Jan 2021, In: Bioconjugate Chemistry. 32, 1, p. 192-198 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
215 Downloads (Pure)
Imaging nanoscale nuclear structures with expansion microscopy
Faulkner, E. L., Pike, J. A., Densham, R. M., Garlick, E., Thomas, S. G., Neely, R. K. & Morris, J. R., 4 May 2021, bioRxiv.
Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint
2020
An introduction to the methodology of expansion microscopy
Faulkner, E., Thomas, S. & Neely, R., Jul 2020, In: The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 124, 7 p., 105764.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
2 Citations (Scopus)

569 Downloads (Pure)
Evaluation of direct grafting strategies via trivalent anchoring for enabling lipid membrane and cytoskeleton staining in expansion microscopy
Wen, G., Vanheusden, M., Acke, A., Valli, D., Neely, R., Leen, V. & Hofkens, J., 28 Jul 2020, In: ACS Nano. 14, 7, p. 7860-7867 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
14 Citations (Scopus)

388 Downloads (Pure)
Site-selective and rewritable labeling of DNA through enzymatic, reversible, and click chemistries
Wilkinson, A., Jagu, E., Ubych, K., Coulthard, S., Rushton, A., Kennefick, J., Su, Q., Neely, R. & Fernandez-Trillo, F., 22 Apr 2020, In: ACS Central Science. 6, 4, p. 525-534 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
4 Citations (Scopus)

306 Downloads (Pure)
2019
DNA barcodes for rapid, whole genome, single-molecule analyses
Wand, N., Smith, D. A., Wilkinson, A., Rushton, A., Busby, S. J. W., Styles, I. & Neely, R. K., 9 Jul 2019, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 47, 12, p. e68 10 p., gkz212.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
3 Citations (Scopus)

302 Downloads (Pure)
2018
A general strategy for direct, enzyme-catalyzed conjugation of functional compounds to DNA
Deen, J., Wang, S., Van Snick, S., Leen, V., Janssen, K., Hofkens, J. & Neely, R. K., 20 Jun 2018, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 46, 11, e64.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
4 Citations (Scopus)

181 Downloads (Pure)
2017
Methyltransferase-directed covalent coupling of fluorophores to DNA
Helmer Lauer, M., Vranken, C., Deen, J., Wand, N., Frederickx, W., Vanderlinden, W., Leen, V., Gehlen, M., Hofkens, J. & Neely, R., 1 May 2017, In: Chemical Science. 8, 5, p. 3804-3811 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
13 Citations (Scopus)

217 Downloads (Pure)
Methyltransferase directed labeling of biomolecules and its applications
Neely, R., Hofkens, J., Janssen, K., Leen, V., Deen, J. & Vranken, C., 2 May 2017, In: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) . 56, 19, p. 5182–5200
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Open Access
File
32 Citations (Scopus)

289 Downloads (Pure)
2016
Human BRCA1-BARD1 ubiquitin ligase activity counteracts chromatin barriers to DNA resection
Densham, R. M., Garvin, A. J., Stone, H. R., Strachan, J., Baldock, R. A., Daza-Martin, M., Fletcher, A., Blair-Reid, S., Beesley, J., Johal, B., Pearl, L. H., Neely, R., Keep, N. H., Watts, F. Z. & Morris, J. R., Jul 2016, In: Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. 23, 7, p. 647-655 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
114 Citations (Scopus)

597 Downloads (Pure)
2015
2-aminopurine as a fluorescent probe of DNA conformation and the DNA–enzyme interface
Neely, R. & Jones, A., 1 May 2015, In: Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics. 48, 2, p. 244-279 25 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
66 Citations (Scopus)

520 Downloads (Pure)
Combing of Genomic DNA from Droplets Containing Picograms of Material
Neely, R., 5 Jan 2015, In: ACS Nano. 9, 1, p. 809–816 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
18 Citations (Scopus)

195 Downloads (Pure)
Live-imaging in the CNS: new insights on oligodendrocytes, myelination, and their responses to inflammation
Rassul, S., Neely, R. & Fulton, D., 25 Sept 2015, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Neuropharmacology. 35 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Open Access
File
5 Citations (Scopus)

391 Downloads (Pure)
Super-Resolution imaging
Neely, R., 26 Jan 2015, Optical probes in biology. Zhang, J., Mehta, S. & Schultz, C. (eds.). CRC Press, p. 413-434 21 p. (Series in Cellular and Clinical Imaging).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
2014
Biologically controlled synthesis and assembly of magnetite nanoparticles
Neely, R., 23 Dec 2014, In: Faraday Discussions.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
24 Citations (Scopus)

189 Downloads (Pure)
Single molecule methods for the study of catalysis: from enzymes to heterogeneous catalysts
Janssen, K., De Cremer, G., Neely, R., Kubarev, A., Van Loon, J., Martens, J. A., De Vos, D. E., Roeffaers, M. B. J. & Hofkens, J., 2014, In: Chemical Society Reviews. 43, 4, p. 990-1006
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
91 Citations (Scopus)

11 Downloads (Pure)
Super-resolution optical DNA Mapping via DNA methyltransferase-directed click chemistry
Vranken, C., Deen, J., Dirix, L., Stakenborg, T., Dehaen, W., Leen, V., Hofkens, J. & Neely, R., 2014, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 42, 7, e50.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
36 Citations (Scopus)
2013
Enzyme-promoted base flipping controls DNA methylation fidelity
Matje, D. M., Zhou, H., Smith, D. A., Neely, R. K., Dryden, D. T. F., Jones, A. C., Dahlquist, F. W. & Reich, N. O., 12 Mar 2013, In: Biochemistry. 52, 10, p. 1677-85 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
10 Citations (Scopus)
2012
Localizer: fast, accurate, open-source, and modular software package for superresolution microscopy
Dedecker, P., Duwé, S., Neely, R. K. & Zhang, J., Dec 2012, In: Journal of Biomedical Optics. 17, 12, p. 126008
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
89 Citations (Scopus)

302 Downloads (Pure)
2011
Optical mapping of DNA: single-molecule-based methods for mapping genomes
Neely, R. K., Deen, J. & Hofkens, J., May 2011, In: Biopolymers. 95, 5, p. 298-311 14 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
71 Citations (Scopus)
Use of time-resolved FRET to validate crystal structure of complement regulatory complex between C3b and factor H (N terminus)
Pechtl, I. C., Neely, R. K., Dryden, D. T. F., Jones, A. C. & Barlow, P. N., Dec 2011, In: Protein Science. 20, 12, p. 2102-12 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
11 Citations (Scopus)
2009
Time-resolved fluorescence studies of nucleotide flipping by restriction enzymes
Neely, R. K., Tamulaitis, G., Chen, K., Kubala, M., Siksnys, V. & Jones, A. C., Nov 2009, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 37, 20, p. 6859-70 12 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
18 Citations (Scopus)
2008
The BsaHI restriction-modification system: cloning, sequencing and analysis of conserved motifs
Neely, R. K. & Roberts, R. J., 2008, In: BMC molecular biology. 9, p. 48
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
8 Citations (Scopus)
2007
2-Aminopurine flipped into the active site of the adenine-specific DNA methyltransferase M.TaqI: crystal structures and time-resolved fluorescence
Lenz, T., Bonnist, E. Y. M., Pljevaljcić, G., Neely, R. K., Dryden, D. T. F., Scheidig, A. J., Jones, A. C. & Weinhold, E., 16 May 2007, In: Journal of the American Chemical Society. 129, 19, p. 6240-8 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
47 Citations (Scopus)
High-precision FLIM-FRET in fixed and living cells reveals heterogeneity in a simple CFP-YFP fusion protein
Millington, M., Grindlay, G. J., Altenbach, K., Neely, R. K., Kolch, W., Bencina, M., Read, N. D., Jones, A. C., Dryden, D. T. F. & Magennis, S. W., May 2007, In: Biophysical Chemistry. 127, 3, p. 155-64 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
50 Citations (Scopus)
Photophysics and X-ray structure of crystalline 2-aminopurine
Neely, R. K., Magennis, S. W., Parsons, S. & Jones, A. C., 14 May 2007, In: ChemPhysChem. 8, 7, p. 1095-102 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
12 Citations (Scopus)
2006
Influence of base dynamics on the conformational properties of DNA: Observation of static conformational states in rigid duplexes at 77 K
Neely, R. K. & Jones, A. C., 20 Dec 2006, In: Journal of the American Chemical Society. 128, 50, p. 15952-3 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
15 Citations (Scopus)
2005
Time-resolved fluorescence of 2-aminopurine as a probe of base flipping in M.HhaI-DNA complexes
Neely, R. K., Daujotyte, D., Grazulis, S., Magennis, S. W., Dryden, D. T. F., Klimasauskas, S. & Jones, A. C., 2005, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 33, 22, p. 6953-60 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
69 Citations (Scopus)

Robert Neely

Research output

Search results