Ken Keiler

Ken Keiler is Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin's College of Natural Sciences. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Biology from MIT, with postdoctoral training at Stanford and Université de Strasbourg.

Research focuses on bacterial protein quality control systems, particularly trans-translation and ribosome rescue mechanisms. His lab develops antibiotics targeting these pathways and investigates stress responses in pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Recent work explores synergistic drug combinations, mitochondrial rescue pathways, and biomimetic antimicrobial design.

Publications demonstrate consistent innovation in antibiotic development, with emphasis on structural mechanisms of translation inhibition, drug synergy, and pathogen-specific targeting. Thematic analysis reveals progression from fundamental ribosome biology to applied therapeutic strategies against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Active projects include mitochondrial ribosome rescue studies and σE-Hfq pathway inhibitors for Gram-negative bacteria.