Pamela J. Bjorkman Research Group

California Institute of Technology

What are the structural mechanisms by which broadly neutralizing antibodies recognize viral envelope glycoproteins, and how can those mechanisms be exploited to design vaccines and antibody therapeutics? Researchers use X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and biochemistry to study pathogen glycoproteins and host immune proteins. Researchers solve cryo-EM and crystal structures of antibody–antigen complexes and analyze conformational states of viral Env trimers. Researchers design mosaic and multivalent protein nanoparticle immunogens and test them in animal immunogenicity studies. Researchers engineer alternative antibody architectures and analyze affinity and avidity effects to increase neutralization breadth and potency.