Wei Zhang, PhD

We use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and three-dimensional reconstruction methods to study the structural information of enveloped viruses including alphaviruses and retroviruses during the virus life cycle. Specifically we are interested in the molecular mechanism of membrane fusion driving by the viral fusion proteins at the low pH condition. We also study retrovirus assembly and maturation by examining localization and arrangement of Gag polyproteins in the immature viruses and the molecular feature of capsid cores in the mature virus particles. In addition, we develop methods that facilitate cryo-EM, cryo-ET sample preparation, data collection, image processing and data interpretation. We aim to address questions related to structure and function relationship through depicting the atomic details of key viral proteins during a number of significant biological processes.

Selected Grants

Award: HIV Gag Lattice Morphology and Particle Biogenesis
Principal Investigators: Mansky, Louis M and Mueller, Joachim
Co-Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2023 – 2028

Award: Imaging of HTLV-1 by cryo-CLEM
Principal Investigators: Mansky, Louis M and Mueller, Joachim
Co-Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIDCR
Award Dates: 2023 – 2025

Award: Structural Mechanisms of Alphavirus Membrane Fusion
Principal Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Co-Investigator: Navaratnarajah, Chanakha
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2022 – 2027

Award: Midwest AViDD Center
Principal Investigators: Harris, Reuben
Co-Investigator: Li, Fang
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2022 – 2025

Award: Cryo-ET Guided Single Particle Reconstruction of HIV
Principal Investigators: Zhang, Wei and Mansky, Louis M
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2020 – 2023

Award: HIV Gag lattice morphology and particle biogenesis
Principal Investigators: Mansky, Louis M and Mueller, Joachim
Co-Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIGMS NATL INST OF GENERAL
Award Dates: 2017 – 2023

Award: HTLV-1 Particle Analysis and Gag Interactions
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Louis M
Co-Investigators: Mueller, Joachim and Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIGMS NATL INST OF GENERAL
Award Dates: 2012 – 2023

Award: Capturing Alphavirus Pre-Fusion Intermediates on a TEM Grid
Principal Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2015 – 2018

Award: Transmission Electron Microscope in the Academic Health
Principal Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Center for Research Resources
Award Dates: 2010 – 2012

Award: Structural Studies of Alphavirus Membrane Fusion In Situ
Principal Investigator: Zhang, Wei
Sponsoring Organization: NIH Nat'l Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis
Award Dates: 2009 - 2012