Brian Akerley

Professor Brian Akerley is a leading academic at The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), holding roles as Professor in the School of Graduate School in the Health Sciences and Director of the same school. He specializes in bacterial pathogenesis, focusing on Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, exploring mechanisms of immune evasion and host-pathogen interactions. His research spans vaccine development, bacterial virulence factors, and coinfection dynamics with influenza.

Education: PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from UCLA (1995), Postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School (1999), and BS in Biology from Bates College (1988). He has held academic positions at UMMC, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the University of Michigan Medical School.

Research interests include bacterial survival strategies in human infections, such as resistance to complement-mediated immunity and adaptation during viral-bacterial coinfections. His work has led to over 120 peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents, including vaccine candidates against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Grants and Awards: Multiple NIH grants totaling millions, including R01 and R56 awards for studies on bacterial virulence and immune evasion. Recognitions include UMMC Research Excellence Awards (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and patents for therapeutic and diagnostic innovations.

Teaching: Leads courses in Bacterial Structure and Function, Medical Microbiology, and Immunology across medical, dental, and graduate programs. Supervises graduate students and postdocs, mentoring over 30 advisees in microbial pathogenesis and immunology.

Service: Editorial roles in journals like Infection and Immunity and Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. Serves on NIH study sections and institutional committees, including UMMC’s Intellectual Property Committee and Graduate Council.