Rate My Professor Stephan Graham

Graham's research elucidates the molecular mechanisms viruses employ to invade host cells, remodel intracellular membrane architecture and composition, replicate, assemble progeny virions, and evade host innate immune recognition, particularly for enveloped neurotropic viruses such as herpes simplex virus and emerging threats like SARS-CoV-2 and Oropouche virus. The lab integrates structural biology techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, biophysics, quantitative proteomics, computational modeling with AI and molecular dynamics, and cell-based infection assays to reveal virus-host interactions informing antiviral therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics. Notable publications include 'AP2 controls clathrin polymerization with a membrane-activated switch' (Science, 2014), 'Paired receptor specificity explained by structures of signal regulatory proteins alone and complexed with CD47' (Molecular Cell, 2008), 'Tegument assembly and secondary envelopment of alphaherpesviruses' (Viruses, 2015), 'The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein has a broad tropism for mammalian ACE2 proteins' (PLoS Biology, 2020), and 'Retroviruses contributed to vertebrate myelination evolution' (Cell, 2024). His contributions extend to international collaborations and development of novel detection reagents and resistance-preventing antiviral strategies.