Maolin Lu Laboratory

Overview

The Lu Laboratory conducts multidisciplinary and collaborative research involving biophysical imaging, virology, molecular biology, structural biology, biochemistry, and computational biology. We aim to understand virus-host interactions for viral pathogens like HIV-1, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and HSV. This knowledge will inform effective intervention strategies against viral infections.

Our research focuses on four main areas: 1) Understanding how viral surface spike proteins mediate virus entry into host cells through membrane fusion, 2) Investigating the molecular mechanisms of antibody recognition and immune evasion, 3) Designing and revealing the mode of action of viral inhibitors, and 4) Developing new single-molecule technologies.

Research projects in our lab have been well-funded by NIH (R01, MIRA R35, and R56), foundations (Gilead and amfAR), and the UT STARs program. We are also affiliated with the Duke University Center for HIV Structural Biology.

The PI Lu and the growing lab have a strong research record, with work published in journals such as Nature (2019), Cell Host & Microbe (2020), Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2020), Journal of Virology (2020), Cell Host & Microbe (2021), Immunity (2021), JBC (2021), mBio (2022), Cell Reports (2022), Nature Communications (2023), Cell Chemical Biology (2024), and Cell Reports (2024).

About the PI

Maolin Lu, PhD
Associate Professor
Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, UT Tyler Health Science Center
Building: BMR C-Wing Lab C1
Email: maolin.lu@uthct.edu; maolin.lu@uttyler.edu
Office: 903.877.8738; Lab: 903.877.7448

Degrees

• 2009 - 2014, Ph.D. in Photochemical Sciences, Bowling Green State University, OH
• 2006 - 2009, MS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
• 2002 - 2006, BS in Biological Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China

Postdoctoral Training

• 2015 - 2021, Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Honors/Awards

• 2024   Award for Excellence in Basic Science Research, UT Tyler School of Medicine, TX
• 2022   Collaborative Development Award, Duke Center for HIV-1 Structural Biology, NC
• 2022   Gilead Research Scholar, Gilead Sciences Research Scholars Program, Raleigh, NC
• 2021   Mathilde Krim Fellowship II, The Foundation for AIDS Research, New York, NY
• 2021   UT System Rising STARs, UT System, TX
• 2019   Mathilde Krim Fellowship I, The Foundation for AIDS Research, New York, NY
• 2015   James Hudson Brown - Alexander Brown Coxe Fellowship, Yale University, CT
• 2011   Delta Fellowship, Bowling Green State University, OH