Li-av Segev Zarko

Dr. Li-av Segev Zarko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where she leads research at the intersection of structural biology and host-pathogen interactions. She joined UTMB in 2024 and is affiliated with the Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics.

• PhD in Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
• Postdoctoral work at Stanford University

Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, particularly how apicomplexan parasites like Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum interact with host membranes during invasion. She pioneered workflows integrating cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET) with molecular tools to resolve the 3D organization of parasitic invasion machinery in native contexts.

Research trends in her publications demonstrate expertise in:

• Cryo-ET structural analysis
• Apicomplexan invasion mechanisms
• Antimicrobial peptide biofilm prevention
• Eukaryotic cytoskeletal dynamics
• Peptide-based therapeutic development
• Membrane interaction modeling

Her lab's work has revealed evolutionarily conserved features of parasitic invasion structures and developed nontoxic peptides for sepsis treatment. Current projects include studying novel eukaryotic secretion mechanisms essential for parasite-host membrane association.

Dr. Segev Zarko's research is supported by her dual expertise in:

• Biofilm degradation mechanisms
• Advanced imaging of subcellular structures

Her laboratory at UTMB specializes in:

• Hybrid structural biology approaches
• Host-pathogen interface imaging
• Computational modeling of invasion processes
• Translational antimicrobial research