Michael Lerch

Michael Lerch, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biophysics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is a member of both the Cardiovascular Research Center (2023–present) and Cancer Center (2023–present). His work bridges structural biology, biophysics, and EPR spectroscopy to study protein conformational dynamics and GPCR signaling mechanisms.

• BS (2009) and University Scholar's Scholarship from University of San Francisco
• PhD (2015) in Wayne L. Hubbell's lab at UCLA
• Postdoctoral Fellow (2015–2017) at Stein Eye Institute, UCLA

Dr. Lerch specializes in using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to investigate protein structural transitions under pressure, develop novel DEER-derived distance restraints, and engineer advanced high-sensitivity EPR systems. His research on GPCR coupling specificity has revealed distinct conformational requirements for Gαs vs. Gαi isoforms through structural and biophysical analyses.

Recent publications highlight his work on ProGuide (2025), a computational framework for protein conformational modeling, and the creation of pressure-jump EPR systems (2024) to monitor millisecond conformational exchange rates. His studies span applications from HIV envelope analysis (2018) to β2-adrenergic receptor signaling (2015, 2020).

Scientific Awards and Recognition

• James S. Hyde Research Award (2023)
• Outstanding Graduate School Educator (2019–2020, 2022–2023)
• JEOL Prize at ESR Spectroscopy Meeting (2016)
• University Scholar's Scholarship and Chemistry awards at USF (2004–2009)

Dr. Lerch actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, has served on multiple NIH study sections (e.g., BBM 2025), and directs courses on magnetic resonance techniques. His work integrates experimental EPR developments with computational modeling to advance understanding of protein function.