Gilad Ofek

Gilad Ofek is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, affiliated with the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR). His research focuses on understanding viral structural organization and immune recognition, particularly for Ebola and HIV-1 viruses. The Ofek lab employs structural biology techniques to study antibody responses and vaccine development.

Education:

• Ph.D., Columbia University, 2001 (Department of Biological Sciences)
• B.A., University of Chicago, 1993
• Postdoctoral Research, National Institutes of Health, 2006

Research Interests:

• Structural basis of antibody-virus interactions
• Vaccine design targeting viral glycoproteins
• Mechanisms of viral immune evasion
• Development of broadly neutralizing antibodies

Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes HIV and hepatitis C vaccine development, antibody engineering, and structural studies of viral glycoproteins. Key topics include cross-reactive antibodies against Ebola/Marburg viruses and optimization of antibody solubility.

Lab & Affiliations: The Ofek Lab is located at IBBR (9600 Gudelsky Dr., Rockville, MD). Their research bridges structural biology and immunology to inform vaccine strategies against emerging viral pathogens.