Aneel Al Fatayri

Aneel Al Fatayri is a graduate student in the Baker Lab pursuing a Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of Notre Dame. Originally from Lebanon, Aneel received his B.A. in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology (BBMB) from Whitman College. During his undergraduate studies, he conducted thesis research in the laboratory of Professor Marion Götz, where he investigated the stereochemical determinants of proteasome inhibition by peptide epoxyketone inhibitors. His work focused on the design and synthesis of mechanistic probes to characterize the molecular mechanism underlying inhibition of the 20S proteasome, integrating synthetic organic chemistry, enzymology, and structural insights to better understand small molecule-protein interactions.

In the Baker Lab, Aneel’s research focuses on the molecular and structural basis of T cell allorecognition in transplantation immunology. His current project aims to determine the antigenic specificities of alloreactive T cells involved in acute cellular rejection and graft-versus-host disease, and to elucidate the structural basis underlying these interactions. By characterizing how features of allo-peptides and allo-MHC molecules influence T cell receptor recognition, his work seeks to further establish that T cell alloreactivity can exhibit antigen specificity. Additionally, he is investigating the potential role of viral cross-reactivity, as emerging evidence suggests that memory T cells generated during viral infections may contribute to transplant rejection. This research integrates approaches from transplantation immunology, protein biophysics, structural biology, and analytical chemistry to better understand the molecular determinants of immune recognition.