Drew Weissman

Drew Weissman serves as the inaugural Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research, director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, and professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His pioneering work in mRNA modification technology forms the foundation of modern mRNA vaccines.

Weissman earned his B.A. and M.A. in biochemistry and enzymology from Brandeis University (1981), followed by M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in immunology and microbiology from Boston University (1987). His medical training included residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health under Anthony Fauci.

As a leading immunologist, Weissman's research focuses on mRNA vaccine development, RNA biology, and therapeutic applications. His laboratory pioneered nucleoside-modified mRNA technology that prevents inflammatory responses while enabling effective protein production, overcoming critical barriers to mRNA therapeutics. Current projects include pan-coronavirus vaccines, HIV/herpes vaccines, gene editing for antibody production, and treatments for acute inflammatory conditions using lipid nanoparticle delivery systems.

Weissman's scientific contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2023), Lasker Award (2021), Breakthrough Prize (2022), and Harvey Prize (2023), among 18 major honors. His collaborative work spans institutions including Chulalongkorn University in Thailand for vaccine development in low-income countries.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Weissman leads the Weissman Lab which actively researches next-generation mRNA applications. His team collaborates internationally on vaccine equity initiatives and continues to expand mRNA technology into new therapeutic areas including gene editing and personalized medicine.