Overview

Malaria Vaccine Development: Develop a vaccination strategy to induce robust and long-lasting immune responses by designing and testing multistage Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax vaccines using chimeric antigens delivered using nanoengineered proteins, novel adenovirus vectors, and heterologous prime-boost immunization regimens. Preclinical assessment of the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of malaria vaccine candidates. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in endemic areas of malaria designed to evaluate the naturally acquired immune responses to Plasmodium antigens.

Pathophysiology of severe malaria: Determine the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of severe malaria. Characterize the dynamics of multisystemic organ dysfunction in non-human primate models of severe malaria infections. Develop novel intervention strategies to improve the clinical outcome of severe malaria.

Acquired immunity to emerging viral infections: Conduct longitudinal studies in endemic areas to understand the dynamics of arbovirus transmission. Identify and validate immunogenic crossreactive domains of SARS-CoV-2 proteins recognized by human T cells. Devise strategies for the development of pan-coronavirus and universal influenza vaccine platforms.

Academic Appointment

• Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine. Division of Infectious Diseases
• Affiliate Scientist, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center (EVC)

Education

Research