معرفی
Brian Wigdahl is Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Drexel University College of Medicine, where he also serves as Director of the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease. He holds a PhD from the Medical College of Wisconsin (1980) and leads a comprehensive research program focused on retroviral pathogenesis.
His research explores three primary areas: (1) Molecular mechanisms of HIV transcriptional regulation in monocyte-macrophage lineages, (2) Development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting HIV entry mechanisms, and (3) HTLV-I Tax protein interactions in oncogenesis. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, molecular genomics, and in vivo modeling.
Dr. Wigdahl's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on CRISPR-based HIV eradication strategies, with emphasis on gRNA design for broad-spectrum viral targeting, computational modeling of DNA accessibility, and safety profiling of gene editing therapeutics. His team's work bridges virology, bioinformatics, and translational medicine.
Honors:
- Pioneer in NeuroVirology (2013)
He mentors junior faculty (Vanessa Pirrone, William Dampier, Shendra Passic) and graduate students (Robert Link, Theodore Gurrola), and leads NIH-funded collaborations including a $2.4M award from the Martin Delaney Collaboratories for HIV Cure Research Program. His laboratory operates BSL-3 facilities for viral replication studies and collaborates with Temple University and Case Western Reserve on CRISPR therapeutics.
