Alexandra Schaefer

Alexandra Schaefer, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on virus-host interactions, viral pathogenesis, and the role of host genetics in infections caused by coronaviruses (e.g., SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2) and filoviruses (e.g., Ebola and Marburg). She investigates quantitative trait loci, genes, and alleles influencing disease severity across species using mouse and human models. A key goal is identifying common genetic susceptibility factors for emerging viral diseases and developing population-based models to study coronavirus evolution and antiviral therapies.

Education

• PhD in Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2003
• MS in Biology, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, 1999

Research Interests

Dr. Schaefer’s work bridges virology, genetics, and public health. She explores how host genetics modulate immune responses to emerging viruses, with a focus on identifying genetic markers predictive of disease outcomes. Her lab develops outbred mouse models to simulate human viral infections and evaluates antiviral drugs and vaccines in real-time pandemic scenarios. Recent studies include genetic determinants of Ebola virus susceptibility and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.

Awards

• Named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers List in 2022, 2023, and 2024, recognizing impactful contributions to virology and public health research.

Labs and Affiliations

Based in the Michael Hooker Research Center, her work aligns with the Gillings School’s mission to address global public health challenges through interdisciplinary research. She contributes to initiatives like the Gillings Innovation Labs and the North Carolina Institute for Public Health.