The main focus of Dr Burrows’s research team is the identification and characterisation of proteases which potentially represent targets for drug discovery.

The main focus is USP17, a deubiquitinase overexpressed in multiple cancers and required for tumour growth and metastases. Dr Burrows has been at the forefront of studies characterising its biological role and assessing its credentials as a therapeutic target.  

He also has an interest in bacterial proteases which contribute to antimicrobial resistance, with the aim of identifying potential antimicrobial targets.

Finally, through his work on proteases, Dr Burrows has also developed an interest in intracellular trafficking, particularly the trafficking of receptors and nanoparticles upon endocytosis.