Peter Shen

Peter Shen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Utah, specializing in protein homeostasis, structural biology, and cryo-electron microscopy. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms governing protein quality control, including synthesis, folding, and degradation pathways essential for cellular health.

Key research areas include:

• Protein synthesis (ribosomes)
• Protein folding (chaperonins)
• Unfolding pathways (AAA+ ATPases)
• Disease mechanisms in cancer and neurodegeneration

Shen's lab utilizes cryo-EM for high-resolution structural analysis of dynamic macromolecular complexes. Recent work highlights structural heterogeneity studies, therapeutic development targeting quality control failures, and viral protein interactions with host machinery.

His publications emphasize cryo-EM methodologies, chaperonin functions, and structural insights into AAA+ ATPases. The lab actively explores viral adaptation mechanisms, transcriptional reprogramming in cancer, and evolutionary structural biology.