About us

Our lab is composed of a multidisciplinary team of international scientists with backgrounds in (bio)physics and quantitative biochemistry. We are hardworking, passionate people who work together as a team to unravel how the molecular process of replication happens in real time. If you want to know who is who in the lab, scroll down and get to meet us

Prof. Dr. Nynke Dekker

Principal investigator – Physics and Biophysics

Nynke Dekker obtained her B.Sc. cum laude from Yale University (with majors in both physics and in applied mathematics), an M.Sc. cum laude in physics from Leiden University, and a prestigious Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University. This was followed by a postdoctoral period at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris in which she transitioned into the field of biological physics. She was appointed Statutory Professor of Biophysics at the University of Oxford in 2024. Prior to that, she was faculty member at TU Delft (2002-2024).

Mrs. Helen Smith

Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)1865 272253

helen.smith@physics.ox.ac.uk

Dr. Belén Solano Hermosilla

Staff scientist

Belén obtained a MSc in Physics by the University of Zaragoza, Spain, a PhD in Microsystems Engineering by the University of Durham, UK, and was a postdoctoral researcher at the French Atomic Commission, France. After holding different positions in both industry and academy, ranging from hands-on research work and lecturing to management, she became research manager of the Nynke Dekker lab in 2015.

M.Sc. Francisco Palmero

Staff scientist

Francisco obtained his B.Sc. in Physics at the University of Córdoba studying the mathematical formalism of spinors. He complements his physics studies with a B.Sc. in Mathematics with a focus on subjects closely related to physics. He later completed an M.Sc. in Research in Artificial Intelligence and collaborated as a research assistant where he focused on stellar dating using Bayesian models. He worked for one year in industry before joining the lab as a scientific programmer.

Dr. Kamila Myka

Staff scientist

Kamila obtained her PhD from the University of Aberdeen, where she explored the genetic mechanisms behind high-pressure- and cold-adapted growth of a deep-sea bacterium. Her subsequent research at the University of York and Columbia University focused on various aspects of replication, transcription, translation and DNA repair in E. coli. Most recently, at MSKCC in New York, she investigated bacterial and human DNA replication using ensemble biochemistry. Kamila joined Nynke’s lab in 2024 to study the dynamics of DNA replication.

Dr. Theo van Laar

Guest staff scientist

Theo’s (PhD Leiden University) background is in biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology. Before joining the Nynke Dekker lab in 2013, he had been working in fundamental cancer research in the University of Leiden, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Utrecht University Medical Center and Leiden University Medical Center. In between, he spent three years in Zambia at the Chilonga Mission Hospital(Mpika) where he was involved in training and supervision local laboratory staff.

Dr. Zhaowei Liu

Postdoc

Zhaowei received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Basel, Switzerland, where he used single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to study mechanostable protein-ligand interactions. He joined the Nynke Dekker lab in 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on the dynamics of eukaryotic DNA replication. His research is funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from EMBO.

Dr. Saurabh Talele

Postdoc

Saurabh received his PhD from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea, where he used single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy to probe nonequilibrium thermodynamics of proteins. He joined the Nynke Dekker Lab in 2023 as a postdoctoral researcher aiming to uncover the biophysical mechanisms associated with eukaryotic DNA replication.

Dr. Yasemin Baris

Postdoc

Yasemin received her PhD from the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, where she developed the biochemistry of the human replisome. She joined the Nynke Dekker Lab in 2024 as a postdoctoral researcher aiming to integrate our understanding of the biochemical and biophysical aspects of eukaryotic DNA replication.

Dr. Hoa Vo

Postdoc

Hoa received her PhD from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, where she used single-molecule FRET to investigate the mechanisms of proofreading and strand displacement activities of the bacterial phage Phi29 DNA Polymerase. She will join the Nynke Dekker lab as a postdoctoral researcher in January 2025, aiming to study DNA and chromatin replication using single-molecule techniques. Outside of the lab, Hoa enjoys yoga, playing badminton, and making sourdough bread.

MSc. Barbara Tyler

Ph.D. candidate (joint with the Srinivasan lab, Department of Biochemistry)

Barbara graduated from MBiochem Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry at the University of Oxford in 2024. Her master's project was completed in Dr Madhu Srinivasan's group investigating the mechanism by which the protein Cohesin is able to entrap DNA inside of its lumen in order to better understand the mechanism of chromosome segregation during mitosis. Outside of academia, Barbara enjoys rowing, cryptic crosswords, and socialising with friends.

About us

Group leader

Prof. Dr. Nynke Dekker

Administrative support

Mrs. Helen Smith

Staff

Dr. Belén Solano Hermosilla

M.Sc. Francisco Palmero

Dr. Kamila Myka

Dr. Theo van Laar

Postdoctoral scientists

Dr. Zhaowei Liu

Dr. Saurabh Talele

Dr. Yasemin Baris

Dr. Hoa Vo

PhD candidates and research associates

MSc. Barbara Tyler

Students

We will take on new students in summer and fall of 2025. If you are coming from abroad, please contact us well in advance.

Contact information

Office/Visiting address