Babak Javid

Babak Javid is an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, Department of Medicine. A physician-scientist specializing in infectious diseases and tuberculosis (TB) research, he explores the pathogen's adaptive mechanisms, antibody-mediated immunity, and antibiotic tolerance.

• Education: University of Cambridge (BA, MB BChir, PhD), Harvard Chan School of Public Health (Postdoc), UCSF (2021 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Champion training)

His research focuses on three core questions: (1) How bacterial protein synthesis machinery enables Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive hostile environments, (2) The role of antibody immunity in TB defense, and (3) Molecular basis of antibiotic survival necessitating prolonged treatment. Key fields include tuberculosis, immunology, ribosome biology, and antibiotic tolerance.

Recent publications reveal trends in:

• Rifampicin tolerance mechanisms (2024)
• Novel antimicrobial targets like GatCAB inhibition (2024)
• Antibody-mediated protection against TB (2023)
• Evolution of drug resistance (2022)
• Public health strategies for mask mandates (2021)

Awards include American Academy of Microbiology Fellow (2025), Wellcome Trust Investigator (2017-2025), and British Society for Immunology Young Immunologist (2003). He mentors ~12 PhD students and ~8 postdocs, with 5 in tenure-track positions.

Current grants:

• Kleberg Medical Research Foundation (2023-2026) - PI
• NIAD (2023-2025) - PI
• NIH (2022-2027) - Co-PI
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2021-2024) - PI
• Wellcome Trust (2019-2024) - PI