Welcome to the Penzes Lab!

Our research focuses on understanding the diversity, evolution and pathogenesis of invertebrate-infecting viruses through their structural biology.
The most prominently featured tool in our research is cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET), which provide the possibility to discover and study viruses in their native biological context.
This encompasses the discovery and structural characterization of new viral pathogens of mass-reared invertebrates, pests and disease vectors, which would be challenging to identify by a solely metagenomic approach. We also investigate the host-virus interactions and multiple trafficking stages of single-stranded DNA viruses, to develop tools for their management and harness their potential as pest control agents.

*** We are hiring! Please see the News section for details. ***