Jodi Hadden-Perilla

Jodi Hadden-Perilla is an Assistant Professor and C. Eugene Bennett Early Career Chair of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware, within the College of Arts & Sciences. She leads the Hadden Lab, which focuses on computational approaches to understanding biological systems.

Education:

• B.S., 2002, Armstrong Atlantic State University
• Ph.D., 2014, University of Georgia
• Postdoctoral Researcher, 2014-2017, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Postdoctoral Researcher, 2017-2019, University of Delaware

Hadden-Perilla's research sits at the intersection of chemistry, physics, biology, and computing. She uses the "computational microscope" - all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on supercomputers - to investigate complex biological machinery at atomic resolution. Her work focuses on understanding the mechanisms of biological machines including viruses (particularly hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus) and molecular motors like cytoplasmic dynein. By elucidating how these machines function, her research aims to identify strategies to inhibit undesired functions (such as viral infection) and prevent dysfunction in essential cellular processes.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on viral structural biology, particularly hepatitis B virus capsid dynamics and assembly. Her work integrates computational approaches with experimental data to provide mechanistic insights into viral life cycles and potential therapeutic interventions. She has made significant contributions to computational methodology development, including scalable simulation techniques and accessibility tools for researchers with low vision.

Scientific Awards:

• C. Eugene Bennett Early Career Chair of Chemistry

Hadden-Perilla has secured funding including a NSF CAREER award focused on phosphorylation in viral life-cycle processes. Her work has significant implications for understanding viral pathogenesis and developing antiviral therapeutics. She has mentored students in computational biochemistry and structural biology, fostering the next generation of scientists in this interdisciplinary field.

The Hadden Lab is at the forefront of computational structural biology, developing and applying advanced simulation techniques to study biological systems. The lab has created tools like TactViz (a VMD plugin for tactile visualization) and AMBERff-in-NAMD to make computational approaches more accessible and powerful. The lab's research spans from fundamental biophysical questions about molecular machines to applied research with therapeutic implications.