Special Seminar: Structural immunology of emerging and re-emerging orthomyxoviruses and paramyxoviruses

Emerging and re-emerging RNA viruses pose a continuing threat because of their antigenic diversity and capacity for zoonotic transmission. We use structural and functional approaches to define how human antibodies recognize viral glycoproteins and to identify conserved sites of vulnerability. Our studies of influenza viruses have characterized antibody recognition of both circulating seasonal strains and influenza viruses with pandemic potential. In particular, analysis of the human naïve B cell repertoire against highly pathogenic H5 influenza revealed antibodies capable of recognizing H5N1 viruses with little or no somatic mutation, demonstrating that protective specificities against potential pandemic threats are already encoded within the human antibody repertoire. Extending these approaches to henipaviruses, we characterized monoclonal antibodies targeting the fusion and receptor-binding glycoproteins and identified combinations that provide potent cross-species neutralization. Together, these studies illustrate how structural analysis of antibody responses can reveal conserved vulnerabilities across diverse RNA viruses and guide the development of broadly protective countermeasures.

Hosted by Professor Jiwon Lee.

About the Speaker(s)

Goran Bajic
Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine

Goran Bajic is an assistant professor of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His laboratory uses structural biology to understand how B cells and antibodies recognize viral pathogens and how these responses can be redirected for vaccines and therapeutics. His group combines cryo-electron microscopy, antibody discovery, protein engineering, and immune repertoire analysis to study B cell receptor signaling, immune memory, and antibody recognition of viral glycoproteins. Current work spans influenza viruses and emerging zoonotic pathogens, including henipaviruses, with a focus on identifying conserved viral vulnerabilities and developing broadly protective antibody-based countermeasures.

Contact

For more information, contact Amos Johnson at amos.l.johnson@dartmouth.edu .