Topic: Biomolecular Condensates in Virus-Host Interactions

Speaker: Prof. Peiguo YANG

Time: 2:30-3:40 PM, 9 April，2026

Venue: Room 111, Lynn Library

Introduction：

Dr. Peiguo Yang received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Beijing Normal University in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2012 through joint program between Beijing Normal University and NIBS. From 2012 to 2020, he conducted postdoctoral research at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harvard Medical School, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In 2020, Dr. Yang joined the School of Life Sciences at Westlake University as an Assistant Professor. His research focuses on the identification and characterization of biomolecule phase separation and biomolecular condensates.

Abstract：

A fundamental question in biology concerns how biomolecules are organized to ensure efficient function. Biomolecular condensates, formed via liquid-liquid phase separation, represent an emerging general principle of cellular compartmentalization across all domains of life. My research over the past decade has focused on stress granules, a prominent type of condensate, and their role in virus-host interactions. We identified G3BP1/2 as central nodes in stress granule formation and proposed a phase separation framework for studying stress granules and related condensates. My work at Westlake has elucidated two key aspects of biomolecular condensate function: viral condensates and host antiviral condensates. We characterized the interplay between alphaviral proteins and G3BP1/2 in the assembly of viral-host co-condensates and their subsequent modulation of host stress granules. Given that co-condensation is widespread among alphaviruses, disrupting these condensates represents a promising antiviral strategy. Furthermore, we identified multiple host condensates in response to viral infection, which exhibit antiviral functions dependent on their condensation. Collectively, our work shows the prevalence and significance of condensates in virus-host interactions.