Wolfram Zueckert

Wolfram Zueckert is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, part of the School of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of Borrelia spirochetes, particularly Lyme disease and relapsing fever pathogens, with emphasis on protein secretion systems, lipoprotein biogenesis, and virulence factor function. He has contributed significantly to elucidating the structure-function relationships of surface proteins and the genetic basis of Borrelia's infectious cycle.

Dr. Zueckert's academic background includes a PhD from the University of Basel Biozentrum and postdoctoral training at the University of California, Irvine (with Alan G. Barbour) and the University of Pennsylvania (with Howard Goldfine and Dan Portnoy). His work integrates molecular genetics, functional proteomics, and structural biology to study spirochetal pathogenesis.

His research interests include:

• Protein secretion pathways in Borrelia
• Surface lipoprotein localization and function
• Regulation of gene expression during host-tick infectious cycles
• Mechanisms of immune evasion and pathogen survival

Key contributions include defining the role of lipoprotein transport machinery, identifying essential genes for spirochetal viability, and advancing CRISPR-based genetic tools for Borrelia research. His studies aim to inform novel intervention strategies against tick-borne diseases.

Current projects explore:

• The structural basis of lipoprotein sorting
• Functional analysis of cyclic-di-GMP signaling pathways
• Antibiotic response mechanisms in Borrelia
• Lipoproteome-mediated immune interactions

Dr. Zueckert collaborates widely with structural biologists and computational scientists to advance his interdisciplinary research agenda.