University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Microbiology & ImmunologyNef Protein Targeting Lab
Thomas E. Smithgall · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Smithgall's research lab focuses on developing innovative approaches to treat HIV/AIDS by targeting a specific protein called Nef that plays a critical role in HIV replication and immune evasion. They explore small molecules and specialized drugs that can selectively destroy this protein in infected cells, which may lead to a reduction in viral reservoirs and better antiviral immune responses. Their work aims to contribute to potential curative strategies for HIV infections.
HIV-1Nef proteinPROTACsantiviral therapyviral reservoirs
Research Aims
3AIM 01Determine the mechanism of action of Nef-directed PROTACs.
AIM 02Assess the likelihood of drug resistance with Nef PROTACs in HIV-infected cells.
AIM 03Investigate how targeted degradation of Nef affects latent viral reservoirs.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureprotein chemistrymass spectrometryRNA sequencingproteomicsmolecular cloninganimal modelsimmunological assaysdrug design
Output against the department
Publications241top 24% of dept.119th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.6ktop 37% of dept.182nd of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.