Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and an Adjunct Professor in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). His research focuses on structural biology, virology, and enzymology, with a particular emphasis on understanding viral structures and mechanisms, enzyme regulation, and their implications for human health.

• Key research areas include:
  • Structural analysis of viruses (e.g., human rhinovirus, norovirus) using cryo-EM and crystallography.
  • Study of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and its role in insulin disorders.
  • Development of antifungal proteins for crop protection and potential human pathogen applications.
  • Structural studies of ABC transporters and carbohydrate-binding proteins.

He is a Fellow of the American Academy for Advancement of Science (2022) and has led projects funded by NIH, AstraZeneca, and others. Current initiatives include investigating norovirus capsid flexibility and high-throughput screening for GDH modulators.