Suzana Straus

Suzana Straus is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia, where she leads an active research group focused on biomolecular structure and membrane interactions. Her laboratory is situated within UBC's Chemistry Department, utilizing advanced spectroscopic and biophysical techniques.

Her primary research interests center on membrane proteins and antimicrobial peptides, with specific emphasis on understanding their structure-function relationships in native lipid environments. Using solid-state NMR as a primary tool, her work bridges biophysics, microbiology, and medicinal chemistry. Key research areas include: the mechanism of action of cationic antimicrobial peptides (particularly aurein family peptides from Australian frogs), lipopeptide antibiotics like daptomycin, and viral membrane proteins from Human Herpes Viruses 6 and 7 that may contribute to Multiple Sclerosis pathogenesis through molecular mimicry of myelin basic protein.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals strong trends in antimicrobial peptide engineering (particularly conjugation strategies with polymers to enhance stability and reduce toxicity), viral pathogenesis (focusing on HHV-6 U24 protein interactions), and advanced delivery systems for infection control. Her work increasingly incorporates immunomodulatory approaches alongside direct antimicrobial activity.

Straus maintains an active laboratory with numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as evidenced by consistent authorship patterns showing trainees as first authors on significant publications. Her research has important implications for developing new anti-infective agents against drug-resistant pathogens.

Her group maintains strong collaborations with pharmaceutical companies (Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Migenix/Biowest Pharma) and interdisciplinary research centers at UBC, focusing on translating basic biophysical insights into therapeutic applications. The laboratory environment emphasizes both fundamental biophysical characterization and applied biomedical outcomes.