Research Interests

Dr. Susan Hafenstein’s research focuses on understanding the structure and functions of viruses, specifically host-virus interactions that facilitate viral entry into cells. She is an expert in cryoEM, utilizing local reconstruction approaches to solve atomic resolution maps of viruses like HPV, murine papillomavirus, polyomavirus and Zika virus.

My lab uses a structural approach to learn more about viral infectivity, tropism, evolution and pathogenicity. Of particular interest are conformational changes of the virus capsid structure that occur as a response to key events that direct a successful infection, such as receptor binding prior to host entry. We are also developing approaches to visualize critical events that cause a break from the regular symmetry of the virus, including packaging of the genome, receptor use, antibody interactions and uncoating of the viral genome during the final stages of infection. 

Education

• Post-doctoral fellowship: Purdue University, 2007
• PhD: Pathobiology, University of Arizona, 2003