Prof Nikolay Zenkin graduated from Moscow State University, Department of Molecular Biology of the Biological Faculty in 2001, and obtained his PhD from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of Russian Academy of Sciences in 2004. Part of his PhD was done in the laboratory of Konstantin Severinov in Waksman Institute of Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he returned to as a post-doc. In 2007 Prof Zenkin started a Lectureship in the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences in Newcastle University and was promoted to a full Professorship in 2013.
His laboratory investigates molecular mechanisms underlining transcription and translation, as well as processes mechanistically connected to them. They have uncovered plenty of mechanistic details for both steps of gene expression and developed unique in vitro experimental systems. Recently, the lab also discovered new types of RNA polymerases that may represent minimal requirements for RNA synthesis by cellular enzymes and will be used for construction of minimal RNA polymerases.
Tel: 0191 208 3227
Email: nikolay.zenkin@ncl.ac.uk
