Stanley M. Lemon

Dr. Stanley M. Lemon is a Distinguished Professor in the UNC School of Medicine, holding appointments in both the Department of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. As a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, his research explores the intricate interplay between hepatotropic positive-strand RNA viruses and host cellular machinery, spanning from acute hepatitis to oncogenic transformations.

• Member, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill (since 1977)

Research Focus encompasses:

• Molecular mechanisms of HAV and HCV replication
• Structural analysis of 5’/3’ UTRs and IRESs
• miR-122 interactions in HCV replication
• Host innate immune sensor responses to viral RNA
• Quasi-enveloped HAV immune evasion strategies

Recent Discoveries include the role of PDAP1 in hepatitis A virus translation under stress conditions, challenging classical virology paradigms. His laboratory identified cis-acting RNA elements in picornaviruses and mapped microRNA-mediated viral replication pathways.

Scientific Recognition:

• 2024: Elected to National Academy of Sciences
• 2018: Sabin Lecturer (European Picornavirus Group)
• 2009: John Enders Award (IDSA)
• 2007: AAAS Fellow

Collaborative Networks extend across the UNC Gene Therapy Center and international virology consortia. His work bridges infectious disease mechanisms with broader implications for cancer biology and metabolic disorders.