The Ward Lab

A structural bio lab using electron microscopes to study HIV, Ebola, Flu, Malaria, Coronaviruses, and membrane proteins. Views are our own.

[Scripps Research Graduate Program @ScrippsGradPrgm]

Congratulations to new @NSF #GRFP fellows: Gabrielle in the @MGClab, Jared in the lab of Luke Lairson, @alexxsaladbar in the @LanderLab, Leigh in the @WardLab1 and Noah in the @disney_lab!

[Cell Host & Microbe @cellhostmicrobe]

Holding it together: Nanoparticle stabilization of LASV trimer. @bmgunn31 examines work of @AA_Lab_EPFL @WardLab1 using two-component nanoparticle strategy that enables stable trimeric presentation of #Lassavirus glycoprotein complex & induction of bnAbs https://t.co/XJvEapUotY

[Cell Host & Microbe @cellhostmicrobe]

Featured Article: Lassa GPC nanoparticles- path to a vaccine? Stabilized #Lassa virus glycoprotein nanoparticle vaccine induces potent #antibody responses in rabbits & protects guinea pigs from #Lassavirus challenge @WardLab1 @AA_Lab_EPFL Brouwer & Sanders https://t.co/DZx7eekm7m

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Incredible work from Philip, @AA_Lab_EPFL, Rogier Sanders (@amsterdamumc) and more! Officially out in @cellhostmicrobe. We describe the presentation of Lassa GPC on nanoparticles and show it can induce neutralizing responses at a novel epitope. Full story: https://t.co/7vyzj8m8Xl

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

New in Science: Researchers have determined the cryo–electron microscopy structure of the hepatitis C virus E1E2 glycoprotein complex.

The structure provides a blueprint for the design of vaccines and drugs that target the virus. https://t.co/fdzSIkoF4w

[Scripps Research @scrippsresearch]

A new endowed fund set up by Prof. Andrew Ward is helping up-and-coming scientists from under-represented backgrounds to enroll in university without the worries of financial insecurity. Congratulations to inaugural recipient Alesandra Rodriguez https://t.co/CtXhaEOflF @WardLab1

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Another malaria CSP antibody story describing the structural basis of how unique homotypic interactions in the L9 antibody result in a potent and protective phenotype! #malaria #cryoEM. Now available in BioRxiv https://t.co/bkP4kqJQ63

[Scripps Research @scrippsresearch]

Two studies from Prof. Bill Schief’s lab & collaborators describe an approach to design a custom HIV vaccine that can coax the immune system to produce the right broadly neutralizing antibodies in a stepwise manner https://t.co/cE5k73B4x6 @ImmunityCP @ragoninstitute @moderna_tx

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

And here's a short video what we're doing for a universal, variant-proof Covid vaccine, via joint efforts of immunology and structural biology, with @DennisRBurton and Ian Wilson, @WardLab1
https://t.co/yjYPkSBERa

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Great talk from Julianne and work from Team Flu!

[Paul G Thomas @PGTimmune]

Beautiful analysis of maturation and cross-reactivity of antibody responses following flu vaccination by @julianna_han @OptionsXi @WardLab1 Specificity lost to cross-reactivity and mapping of how HA escapes. Bonus points for having to work with @TheBcellArtist (my sympathies)

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Outstanding work from @HaileePerrett and Philip Brouwer, go check out the paper and the beautiful Lassa GPC figures. Congrats to all involved!

[Hailee Perrett @HaileePerrett]

Really excited to finally share our work on #Lassa's fusion glycoprotein (GPC) on bioRxiv!

We explore GPC structures across lineages, antibodies targeting the apex of the trimer (which impede receptor binding), and describe a new NAb!

Read more here!🔬
https://t.co/yTdBVl7YLr

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Beautiful work done by our Post Doc Gregory Martin and team including Jon Torres, Grace Gibson, Wilma Lee, Jeffrey Copps. 😍 #thatcryotho #malaria #cryoEM

[Goran Bajic, Ph.D. @gogo_science]

Very cool #cryoEM reconstructions from ⁦@WardLab1⁩! These #malaria Fabs are so cute ☺️
“Affinity-matured homotypic interactions induce spectrum of PfCSP-antibody structures that influence protection from malaria infection” | #bioRxiv https://t.co/ETzGjRHR8u

[Hailee Perrett @HaileePerrett]

Many scientists are working toward the gold standard of infectious disease prevention: universal vaccines.

But what does that mean? A quick intro!

(& as always, a huge shoutout to Matt, Faith, and Drew—teamwork makes the dream work!) @scrippsresearch
https://t.co/4ckzkePcq6

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Keep an eye out for cool science coming from the Murin lab!

[TheMurinLab @MurinLab]

Please welcome the Murin Lab @scrippsresearch! We are grateful to currently be housed by @WardLab1 and collaborating with them.

From left to right: @daniel_murin (PI), Kayla Xu (summer intern) and Ryan Lin (Technician).

Our website will be up soon! https://t.co/XYMwr9MuGB

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

So proud of you @HaileePerrett! Keep up the great work. We are lucky to have you.

[Hailee Perrett @HaileePerrett]

Kicking off the start of year 4 of grad school with the official NoA for my NIAID F31. 🎉

Feeling deeply grateful for the support of so many lovely scientists, funding agencies, and donors over the years. The adventure continues!

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Including lots of work from our lab members Wilma Lee and Jon Torres. nsEM getting the job done!

[Science Translational Medicine @ScienceTM]

The @andrabi_raiees, @DennisRBurton, and Wilson labs find macaques produce broadly neutralizing, variant-protective antibodies after #SARSCoV2 vaccination – providing insights to guide the design and testing of future #COVID19 vaccines. @scrippsresearch https://t.co/L39pHq45pE

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Well done Alba and colleagues! @albatorrents @scrippsresearch

[Lingwood Lab @lingwoodlab]

New publication is out!
@ragoninstitute @VirologyHarvard @harvardmed

https://t.co/kAN6731yBc

[Tom Caniels @tomcaniels]

Many months & edits later, our work on the baseline SARS-CoV-2 spike-reactive B cell repertoire is (finally!) out in @NatureComms.

⬇ Most interesting & relevant results below. It gets cool. ⬇

@vanGilsLab

https://t.co/nngkyq1D1f (1)

[Tom Caniels @tomcaniels]

With the help of the very talented @julianna_han @WardLab1, we found out that this IGHV1-69/IGKV3-11 B cell pairing exclusively targets an apical S2 domain, which is normally obscured on the prefusion spike trimer but might be present in open and/or aberrant conformations. (8)

[The Ward Lab @WardLab1]

Trying something new for our lab outing! #watchout #axethrowing #badaxe