Stephan Wilkens

Stephan Wilkens is an Associate Professor at Upstate Medical University, where his research integrates biochemistry, biophysics, and structural molecular biology. His work focuses on the structure-function relationships of membrane proteins, particularly the yeast vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase), and its regulation by TLDc proteins and monoclonal nanobodies. Recent breakthroughs include developing chimeric nanobody-decorated liposomes via self-assembly (Nature Nanotechnology, 2024) and engineering sulfonium lipid nanoparticles for lung-specific mRNA delivery (Nano Letters, 2024). His 2025 publications in Nature Materials and Acta Biomaterialia demonstrate that poly(carboxybetaine) and sulfonium lipids enhance mRNA therapeutic efficacy while reducing immunogenicity. Wilkens’ interdisciplinary approach spans enzyme kinetics, cell biology, and nanomedicine, with ongoing international collaborations advancing both fundamental protein science and translational mRNA therapeutics.