معرفی
Walther Mothes is the Paul B. Beeson Professor of Medicine and Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine, where he also serves as Co-Director of Graduate Admissions for the Microbiology PhD Program. His laboratory focuses on viral entry mechanisms, structural virology, and host-pathogen interactions, with emphasis on HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2.
Dr. Mothes received his Diploma in Chemistry (1993) and PhD in Cell Biology (1998) from Humboldt University Berlin, followed by postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School studying retroviral entry mechanisms before establishing his independent laboratory at Yale in 2001.
His research centers on real-time visualization of viral entry processes using advanced imaging techniques. Key interests include:
- Conformational dynamics of viral envelope proteins during membrane fusion
- Host factors restricting viral infection
- Structural basis of neutralizing antibody recognition
- Rational design of vaccines and antivirals
His recent publications demonstrate focus on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein refolding mechanisms and HIV-1 Env trimer interactions, utilizing cryo-electron tomography and biophysical approaches to map viral entry pathways. Collaborative work integrates structural biology with immunogen design for next-generation vaccines.
Honors include:
- Paul B. Beeson Professorship (2021)
- KT Jeang Retrovirology Prize (2024)
He directs an interdisciplinary research team combining virology, structural biology, and immunology approaches to study viral pathogenesis. Current work explores membrane remodeling during viral entry and novel antiviral strategies.
