Luis Matos

Luis Matos, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Eastern Washington University. His research focuses on evolutionary genetics of host/pathogen interactions, particularly using Drosophila and Drosophila-specific viruses as a model system to study virulence evolution during host shifts. He investigates how pathogen genetics and virulence adapt to enable long-term infections in novel hosts, such as seen in coronaviruses transitioning from bats to humans.

Dr. Matos’ lab examines pathogenesis mechanisms in hosts and pathogen genetic changes following host shifts. This work bridges molecular biology, genetics, and evolutionary biology to understand cross-species transmission dynamics. His expertise includes entomology and biotechnology applications in infectious disease research.

No specific scientific awards or grants are listed in the profile. His academic contributions are centered on publishing research findings from his lab’s studies on host-pathogen coevolution.