M. Alejandra Tortorici, Ph.D.

Dr. M. Alejandra Tortorici is a leading virologist and senior researcher at the University of Washington School of Medicine, renowned for her groundbreaking work on viral fusion mechanisms, coronavirus spike protein structure, and antibody-mediated neutralization. Her research expertise spans virology, glycoprotein biology, viral entry pathways, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, and computational modeling of viral epitopes and protein structures.

Dr. Tortorici’s landmark publications include seminal studies such as Structure, Function, and Antigenicity of the SARS‑CoV‑2 Spike Glycoprotein, which has significantly shaped our understanding of coronavirus biology. Her contributions also include work on cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by antibodies originally developed for SARS-CoV and mapping neutralizing and immunodominant sites on the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein.

Her academic journey includes roles at prominent institutions such as Institut Pasteur in Paris and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where she advanced studies on coronavirus immunology and viral fusion.

Dr. Tortorici is recognized for her rigorous structural biology approach to virology, combining advanced cryo-electron microscopy, computational modeling, and immunology to inform vaccine design and therapeutic antibody development. Her research continues to address urgent challenges in emerging infectious diseases by illuminating the structural basis for broad coronavirus neutralization.

• Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina - Bachelor’s Degree
• Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Argentina - Ph.D.
• Université Sorbonne Paris-Cité. Paris, France.