Interviews with scientists – GFP and reporter proteins

This video interview with Professor John Christie of the University of Glasgow, introduces students to fluorescent reporter proteins and their importance to our understanding of cell biology.

GFP – the protein that allows jellyfish to glow their astonishing luminescent green – changed the way we understand biology. Transferred into plant, bacterial or animal cells, GFP allows them to glow when illuminated by blue light. But what are the limitations – and where next for ‘reporter proteins’?

Professor John Christie, of the University of Glasgow, talks about how GFP transformed our understanding of cell biology, and its limitations. His lab is developing new reporter proteins to overcome these issues and allow viral and bacterial infections to be studied more effectively.