Iain MacPherson

Iain MacPherson, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He is an Investigator at the Hawaii Center for AIDS. He received his BSc from Acadia University and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of British Columbia. Postdoctoral training included Brandeis University and Ludwig Maximilian University before joining the University of Hawaiʻi as adjunct faculty in 2017 and becoming an Assistant Professor in 2018.

Education:

• BSc, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
• PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Research Focus: Dr. MacPherson’s work centers on aptamers—short RNA/DNA molecules with antibody-like binding functions—and their applications in HIV and cancer research. His studies aim to harness these molecules for diagnostic and therapeutic advancements in these fields.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the Hawaii Center for AIDS, collaborating on translational research in HIV-associated complications and innovative biomedical solutions.