Faculty

Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D.

Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research

Department: Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information

410B Hill Pavilion
380 S University Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: (215) 573-8491

Email:
dreww@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Publications

Search PubMed for articles

Education:
B.A., M.A. (Biochemistry/Enzymology)
Brandeis University, 1981.
M.D. Ph.D. (Immunology/Microbiology)
Boston University, 1987.

Links
Search PubMed for articles
Immunology graduate group faculty webpage.
Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group faculty webpage.

Permanent link

> Perelman School of Medicine > Faculty > Details

Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Weissman's laboratory focuses on the study of RNA and innate immune system biology and the application of these findings to vaccine research and gene therapy. There are three main projects in his laboratory. The first project began through the use of mRNA encoding antigen as a delivery system to load dendritic cells to promote broad immune responses as part of a vaccine. This project has expanded to include basic studies of RNA immunogenicity and translation and the development of applications for gene therapy. The second project develops new HIV envelope immunogens that can induce broad responses and cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies. The third project continues previous studies that identified a protein found on DC, macrophages, and epithelial cells that binds HIV envelope with high affinity. The main focus of this project is testing whether this and related molecules function in vivo to promote HIV genital tract infection.

Selected Publications

Han X, Gong N, Xue L, Billingsley MM, El-Mayta R, Shepherd SJ, Alameh MG, Weissman D, Mitchell MJ.: Ligand-tethered lipid nanoparticles for targeted RNA delivery to treat liver fibrosis. Nat Commun 14: 75, Jan 2023.

Jitthamstaporn S, Inthong R, Audomsun D, Chanasit S, Thanasarnthungcharoen C, Lin PJC, Weissman D, Pardi N, Jacquet A.: Nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines yield robust blocking antibody responses against major house dust mite allergens. Allergy 78: 315-318, 2023.

Young RE, Nelson KM, Hofbauer SI, Vijayakumar T, Alameh MG, Weissman D, Papachristou C, Gleghorn JP, Riley RS.: Lipid Nanoparticle Composition Drives mRNA Delivery to the Placenta. bioRxiv Dec 2022.

Waghela IN, Mallory KL, Taylor JA, Schneider CG, Savransky T, Janse CJ, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Weissman D, Angov E.: Exploring in vitro expression and immune potency in mice using mRNA encoding the Plasmodium falciparum malaria antigen, CelTOS. Front Immunol 13: 1026052, Dec 2022.

Arevalo CP, Bolton MJ, Le Sage V, Ye N, Furey C, Muramatsu H, Alameh MG, Pardi N, Drapeau EM, Parkhouse K, Garretson T, Morris JS, Moncla LH, Tam YK, Fan SHY, Lakdawala SS, Weissman D, Hensley SE.: A multivalent nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine against all known influenza virus subtypes. Science 378: 899-904, Nov 2022.

Connors J, Joyner D, Mege N, Cusimano G, Bell M, Marcy J, Taramangalam B, Lin P, Tam Y, Lin P, Weissman D, Kutzler M, Alameh MG, Haddad E.: Lipid nanoparticles (LNP) induce activation and maturation of antigen presenting cells in young and aged individuals. Res Sq. 7: 2199652, Nov 2022.

Gatechompol S, Kittanamongkolchai W, Ketloy C, Prompetchara E, Thitithanyanont A, Jongkaewwattana A, Buranapraditkun S, Alameh MG, Ubolyam S, Sophonphan J, Apornpong T, Kerr S, Kamarulzaman A, Siwamogsatham S, Kroon E, Puthanakit T, Patarakul K, Palaga T, Wijagkanalan W, Carpenter A, Hong L, Weissman D, Ruxrungtham K; ChulaVAC-001 study team.: Safety and immunogenicity of a prefusion non-stabilized spike protein mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: a phase I trial. Nat Microbiol Nov 2022.

Connors J, Joyner D, Mege N, Cusimano G, Bell M, Marcy J, Taramangalam B, Lin P, Tam Y, Lin P, Weissman D, Kutzler M, Alameh MG, Haddad E.: Lipid nanoparticles (LNP) induce activation and maturation of antigen presenting cells in young and aged individuals. Res Sq Nov 2022.

Liu W, Alameh MG, Yang JF, Xu JR, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Weissman D, You J.: Lipid Nanoparticles Delivering Constitutively Active STING mRNA to Stimulate Antitumor Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 23: 14504, Nov 2022.

Sittplangkoon C, Alameh MG, Weissman D, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Prompetchara E, Palaga T.: mRNA vaccine with unmodified uridine induces robust type I interferon-dependent anti-tumor immunity in a melanoma model. Front Immunol 13: 983000, Oct 2022.