Robert M. Stroud

Robert M. Stroud, PhD, is a distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, with a dual appointment in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. A world leader in structural biology, Dr. Stroud has made significant contributions to understanding membrane proteins, enzymes, and their roles in human health and disease. His research spans multiple disciplines including cancer biology, infectious diseases, and basic molecular mechanisms.

• University of California San Francisco (1976-present)
• Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (secondary appointment)
• Macromolecular Structure Group (founding member)
• HIV Accessory and Regulatory Complexes Center (Principal Investigator)

Dr. Stroud's research focuses on three main areas: understanding transport and cellular signaling across cell membranes at the molecular level, determining how macromolecular structure encodes specificity and affinity for biotherapeutics, and studying RNA-protein recognition. His work on the first structures of channels in endolysosomes (TPCs) has provided critical insights into Ebola viral fusion and entry mechanisms. He has determined over 330 protein structures, with approximately 40 being membrane proteins.

His publications from 2022-2025 reveal a strong focus on structural mechanisms of disease, with particular emphasis on Mycobacterium tuberculosis transporters, aquaporin-4 autoantibody interactions in neuromyelitis optica, and the structural basis of various transporters involved in human diseases. His recent work demonstrates continued leadership in applying structural biology to address critical problems in infectious diseases, neurological disorders, and cancer.

• FRSM Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (1992-present)
• National Academy of Sciences member (2003)
• NIH Merit Award (2018)
• 2018 UCSF Faculty Research Lecture in Basic Science
• Hans Neurath Award of the Protein Society (2009)
• Anatrace Award of the Biophysical Society (2006-2016)

Dr. Stroud has maintained continuous NIH funding since 1976, with over 25 major grants as Principal or Co-Investigator. His laboratory collaborates with sixteen other UCSF faculty members on research related to cell health, cancer biology, transmembrane transporters, tuberculosis, and water channels. He has mentored numerous students and collaborators, including long-term partnerships with Janet S. Finer-Moore (72 co-authored papers), Daniel Santi (31 publications over 42 years), and Peter Walter (17 publications).

Dr. Stroud is also notable for bridging science and art, collaborating with artists like Julie Newdoll who created the painting "Stroudlandia" summarizing his career. His laboratory is known for its collaborative environment and interdisciplinary approach to structural biology problems.