University of Southern California · BiologyAPOBEC and Viral Immunity Lab
Xiaojiang S Chen · Los Angeles, California
Research Focus
Dr. Xiaojiang S Chen's lab at USC focuses on studying a family of proteins called APOBEC, which have critical roles in the immune response against viruses like HIV. The lab explores how these proteins interact with nucleic acids and how viruses can evade these defenses, with the goal of developing new therapeutic strategies for treating viral infections and related cancers. Their work combines structural biology with molecular dynamics to understand these complex interactions.
APOBECHIVcytidine deaminasesviral immunitygenomic integrityoncogenesisretrovirusestherapeutic interventions
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the structural dynamics of APOBEC proteins and how they interact with nucleic acids.
AIM 02Characterize the antiviral mechanisms of double-domain APOBEC proteins against HIV.
AIM 03Understand how HIV's Vif protein neutralizes the antiviral effects of APOBEC.
AIM 04Explore the roles of APOBEC enzymes in genomic stability and cancer development.
AIM 05Develop innovative therapeutic strategies targeting APOBEC-related mechanisms.
Skills the Lab Values
structural biologymolecular dynamicscell culture techniquesnucleic acid binding assaysprotein purificationbiochemical assaysimmunofluorescence microscopydata analysis using Pythonexperimental design
Output against the department
Publications127bottom 45% of dept.563rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.5kbottom 46% of dept.558th of 1,033
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.