The Z. Xu lab uses a multi-disciplinary approach of structural biology, biochemistry and cell biology to study molecular mechanisms of proteins that function in intracellular trafficking.  Our current focus is on the endosomal-sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), a multi-component protein machinery essential for a wide range of biological processes including cell surface receptor down-regulation, enveloped virus budding, cytokinesis and autophagy.  Our work has therapeutic implications for diseases such as cancer, viral infection and neuro-degeneration.