Richard Wyatt

Richard Wyatt, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at The Scripps Research Institute. His research focuses on structural and immunological aspects of HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins, with emphasis on developing structure-guided vaccine strategies targeting neutralizing antibodies. He leads a laboratory dedicated to understanding HIV entry mechanisms and improving immunogen design.

Education: B.S. Biology (Trinity College, 1974), M.S. Biology (Southern Connecticut State University, 1982), Ph.D. Immunology (Tufts University, 1991).

Research emphasizes HIV gp120/gp41 trimer structure, antibody-epitope interactions, and vaccine candidate development. Over 20 years' involvement in HIV vaccine consortia including IAVI's Neutralizing Antibody Consortium. Key publications include seminal work on CD4-bound gp120 structures and stabilized Env trimers for vaccine research.

Awards include AmFAR Scientific Advisory Committee membership since 1998, NIAID committee service, and leadership roles in major virology organizations. Active in training programs, supervising summer interns from top universities like UCLA and Stanford.

Laboratory activities include protein engineering, biophysical analysis, and preclinical vaccine testing. Current projects focus on glycan manipulation in Env proteins and particulate antigen delivery systems to enhance antibody breadth.