Virtual Lecture Series | Developing An Antiviral For COVID-19 | Rachel Martin

In this lecture, which took place on May 6, 2020, Professor Rachel Martin discusses her work on developing an antiviral for COVID-19. Professor Rachel Martin is a UCI faculty member in the departments of Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. She studies the structure and function of proteins using a variety of biophysical techniques. Her group has investigated the molecular foundations of refractive index in the eye lens, the cold tolerance of proteins from Antarctic fish, and the unique properties of enzymes from carnivorous plants, butterflies, and extremophiles. She is currently working on understanding the function of key enzymes from the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to facilitate the development of antiviral drugs.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER 

Professor Rachel Martin is a faculty member in the departments of Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. She studies the structure and function of proteins using a variety of biophysical techniques. Her group has investigated the molecular foundations of refractive index in the eye lens, the cold tolerance of proteins from Antarctic fish, and the unique properties of enzymes from carnivorous plants, butterflies, and extremophiles. She is currently working on understanding the function of key enzymes from the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to facilitate the development of antiviral drugs.

Professor Martin received her B.S. in Chemistry from Arizona State University and her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Yale University. After her postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley, she joined the faculty at UCI in 2005. She received a Dreyfus New Faculty Award and an NSF CAREER award. She became a fellow of the AAAS in 2008 and a CIFAR fellow in 2019. She currently serves on the executive committee of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance (ISMAR).