“Structural and Mechanistic Immunology” Featuring Dr. Hao Wu
“Structural and Mechanistic Immunology” Featuring Dr. Hao Wu
Dr. Hao Wu is the Asa and Patricia Springer Professor of Structural Biology at Harvard Medical School. Her lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the assembly, regulation, and therapeutic intervention of supramolecular complexes in innate immunity. She talks about cryo-electron microscopy and how her team used it to study the structures of the NLRP3 inflammasome disc, the B cell antigen receptor, and the Gasdermin D pore. She also discusses the role of AlphaFold in structural biology research.

Structure dictates function, and in this episode, we have a masterclass on this lesson with Dr. Hao Wu, who is a pioneer in immunological structural biology.
Dr. Jason Goldsmith, co-host
Find more episodes at immunologypodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
This Episode's Immunology Roundup:
- Graft-Versus-Host Disease and the Microbiome – In graft-versus-host disease, pathogenic T cells disrupt the intestinal microbiome by altering ambient oxygen levels.
- Extracellular Matrix Binding of Interferon-γ – Local interferon-γ retention protects organisms from systemic toxicity during prolonged immune stimulation.
- Lipid Metabolism in T Cells – Phospholipid saturation drives effector T cell function.
- Inhibiting Peanut Allergy – An inhibitor prevents antibody binding and mast cell activation in a humanized mouse model of peanut allergy.