Matthew Welch

Matthew Welch is Professor and Frances H. Williams Chair in Biological Sciences within the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he also serves as Department Co-Chair. His research program investigates how microbial pathogens target host cellular machinery to uncover both disease mechanisms and fundamental biological processes.

Welch's laboratory specializes in host-pathogen interactions with particular focus on actin cytoskeleton dynamics and membrane manipulation. His team studies diverse pathogens including Rickettsia, Burkholderia, Mycobacterium species, and baculovirus to understand how they exploit host signaling, cytoskeletal organization, and membrane trafficking during infection. Current projects examine pathogen-induced cell-cell fusion, phagosome escape mechanisms, and development of anti-trypanosomal drugs targeting cytoskeletal motor proteins. This work reveals critical insights into infectious disease while simultaneously illuminating poorly understood cellular processes in uninfected cells.

Analysis of Welch's recent publications (2015-2022) shows consistent emphasis on pathogen exploitation of host cytoskeletal and membrane systems. His research demonstrates how pathogens serve as precision tools to uncover universal cellular mechanisms, with significant contributions to understanding autophagy evasion, actin-based motility, and membrane remodeling. Publications appear in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Science Advances, and Molecular Biology of the Cell.

Professional recognition includes:

• MTI Innovator Award (2025)
• AAAS Fellow (2023)

As leader of the Welch Lab, he directs multidisciplinary research integrating chemical biology, molecular biology, and cell biology approaches to address fundamental questions in infectious disease. His work bridges basic cellular mechanisms with therapeutic development for neglected tropical diseases.