Alexander Ploss

Alexander Ploss is the Harry C. Wiess Professor of Life Sciences and Molecular Biology at Princeton University, where he leads the Ploss Lab in the Department of Molecular Biology at Lewis Thomas Laboratory. His research focuses on immune responses to and pathogenesis of human pathogens infecting the liver, including hepatitis B (HBV) and C viruses (HCV), yellow fever and Dengue viruses and plasmodial parasites.

Dr. Ploss's research interests span across infectious diseases & virology, host pathogen interactions, arboviruses, hepatitis viruses, prevention and cure efforts, vaccines, and viral host range restrictions. His lab combines tissue engineering, molecular virology/pathogenesis, and animal construction to create and apply innovative technologies for studying and intervening in human hepatotropic infections. Notably, his group has developed humanized mouse models that have emerged as powerful systems to model human infections in vivo, particularly for pathogens with human-specific tropism.

Dr. Ploss is affiliated with the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) through the Climate Change and Infectious Disease Initiative and the Grand Challenges Program. Recent developments include his appointment as co-director of Princeton's Global Health Program in January 2025. His lab actively recruits postdoctoral candidates and graduate students interested in working with their interdisciplinary team on cutting-edge research in virology and infectious diseases.

• Research Focus: Human hepatotropic infections, viral pathogenesis, vaccine development
• Key Methodology: Humanized mouse models, tissue engineering, molecular virology
• Recent Recognition: Appointed co-director of Princeton's Global Health Program (Jan 2025)

Dr. Ploss's research has significant implications for understanding and combating major global health threats, as infectious diseases account for approximately 15 million deaths each year worldwide. His work on humanized mouse models provides unprecedented opportunities to study host-pathogen interactions in vivo and to preclinically evaluate drug and vaccine candidates for previously intractable human pathogens.