Over the past decade, there have been remarkable advances in live cell imaging. Our contribution in this area has been to develop methods to visualise individual protein molecules within living cells. The motivation for the research is to increase our understanding of molecular mechanisms and biochemical pathways in situ.

Direct observation of single fluorophores enables the temporal and spatial trajectories of individual molecules to be measured so that their cellular distribution, mode of translocation (either active or diffusional), binding kinetics and oligomeric state can be determined.

The presentation will describe studies made on KCNQ potassium ion channels, muscarinic G-protein coupled receptors and an actin-based molecular motor called 'myosin-10'.