Faculty Directory

Research

The Plemper laboratory investigates myxovirus pathogenesis and explores strategies to block myxovirus infection. Research is specifically focused on understanding how influenza virus and human pathogens of the paramyxovirus family enter cells and replicate their genetic information, and applying this insight to the development of novel antiviral drugs. These objectives are pursued in three major research programs:

1. To define the structural and mechanistic framework for paramyxovirus infection.
2. To mechanistically characterize the pneumovirus and paramyxovirus RNA-dependent RNA-polymerases and develop direct-acting allosteric and substrate-analog polymerase inhibitors
3. To identify druggable host targets that are required for myxovirus replication and develop small-molecule antivirals with broad anti-myxovirus indication spectrum.

The Plemper lab reaches its goals in an interdisciplinary approach that combines molecular virology, cell biology and biochemistry, structural biology, light and electron microscopy, high-throughput assay design and execution with medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and viral pathogenesis models.