Thomas Fuerst

Thomas Fuerst is a Professor at the University of Maryland’s Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR). His research focuses on developing next-generation vaccines and protein-based therapeutics for infectious diseases like hepatitis C and cancer targets. He holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics (Cornell University, 1984), an MBA in Science Technology and Innovation (George Washington University, 1992), and a B.A. in Biochemistry (UC Berkeley, 1980).

His interdisciplinary work integrates virology, immunology, structural biology, and computational biology. Key programs include structure-based vaccine design for enveloped viruses, scaffold-based protein therapeutics for cancer, and polyphosphazene-based delivery systems. Recent advancements include cryo-EM studies of HCV glycoproteins, glycoengineered vaccines, and polyphosphazene nanocomplexes for TLR agonist delivery.

Publications (2021–2025) highlight breakthroughs in hepatitis C vaccine candidates, Ebola microneedle patches, and engineered proteases targeting cancer-linked RAS proteins. His lab’s polyphosphazene platforms are central to immunoadjuvant and drug delivery innovations.