Mikey Grunst, Ph.D. , a recent graduate of the Yale Graduate Program in Microbiology, has been awarded the 2025 Porter Prize. Dr. Grunst completed his dissertation in the Mothes laboratory in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine. The John Addison Porter Prize, named in honor of Professor John Addison Porter, B.A. 1842, is awarded for a work of scholarship in any field that, through original effort, presents facts or principles in a literary form of general human interest.
Grunst’s dissertation studied viral Spike proteins, which allow viruses to grab onto and enter host cells by driving fusion of the virus and host cell membranes. Using innovative electron microscopy techniques, he captured this elusive viral entry process in action and identified new ways that antibodies target a vulnerable, conserved site on the viral Spike protein to block infection. His findings stand to inform the design of vaccines against diverse coronaviruses, providing protection against future coronavirus outbreaks.
Please also view a complete list of Michael Grunst's research publications.