Robert Stahelin

Title:

Retter Professor of Pharmacy

PhD Granting Institution:

University of Illinois at Chicago

Contact:

Email Address: rstaheli@purdue.edu
Office Phone: 765-494-4152
Lab Website Link: https://thestahelinlab.weebly.com/

Primary Training Group:

Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Secondary Training Groups:

Biomolecular Structure and Biophysics, Membrane Biology

Research Areas:

The main focus of the lab is mechanisms by which lipid-enveloped viruses (coronaviruses, filoviruses and paramyxoviruses) replicate via assembly and budding in human cells to form new virus particles. The lab uses an array of biochemical and biophysical techniques (including structural biology) in vitro and in cells to come to quantitative and confident conclusions in mechanisms by which viral proteins hijack host cell lipids and proteins for their replication cycle. Interdisciplinary research focused on biological membranes has revealed them as signaling and trafficking platforms for processes fundamental to life. Biomembranes harbor receptors, ion channels, lipid domains, lipid signals, and scaffolding complexes, which function to maintain cellular growth, metabolism, and homeostasis. Moreover, abnormalities in lipid metabolism attributed to genetic changes among other causes are often associated with diseases such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes. Pathogens, including viruses, and bacteria, often hijack human components of lipid metabolism and replicate using biological membranes as platforms or utilize lipids to produce energy during the replication cycle. Thus, there is a need to comprehensively understand molecular events occurring within and on membranes as a means of grasping disease etiology and identifying viable targets for drug development.

Current Projects:

The main focus of the lab is mechanisms by which lipid-enveloped viruses (coronaviruses, filoviruses and paramyxoviruses) replicate via assembly and budding in human cells to form new virus particles.