معرفی
Erol Fikrig is the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at Yale School of Medicine, with secondary appointments in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases and Microbial Pathogenesis. He serves as Section Chief of Infectious Diseases within the Department of Internal Medicine and is affiliated with the Yale Institute for Global Health, Center for Infection and Immunity, and multiple interdisciplinary programs including Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis.
Education:
- BA in Chemistry, Cornell University (1981)
- MD, Cornell University (1985)
- Residency, Vanderbilt University Hospital (1988)
- Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine (1991)
Dr. Fikrig's research centers on vector-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, flaviviruses (dengue, West Nile), and malaria. His laboratory investigates the molecular interactions between pathogens, their arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes), and mammalian hosts. A major focus is developing novel prevention strategies, including mRNA vaccines that target vector feeding rather than the pathogen directly. His work has advanced understanding of immunity to Borrelia burgdorferi, tick salivary proteins, and transmission-blocking interventions for malaria.
His recent publications reveal a strong trend in dissecting vector immunobiology and host-pathogen-vector triads. Key themes include the role of tick exoproteins in eliciting protective immunity, mosquito salivary factors as biomarkers and vaccine targets, and chemokine networks in Lyme disease manifestations. These studies span molecular virology, structural biology, immunology, and translational vaccinology.
Scientific Awards and Honors:
- National Academy of Medicine Member (2024)
- NIH Merit Award (2016)
- Ruysch Visiting Professor, University of Amsterdam (2014)
- Frontiers of Science Professor, Abo Akademi University (2013)
- Member, Association of American Physicians (2008)
- Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
- National Foundation of Infectious Disease Young Investigator Award
- Infectious Disease Society of America Vaccine Development Award
- Burroughs Wellcome Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research
Dr. Fikrig leads a highly collaborative research program with frequent co-authorship among key team members such as Ruth R. Montgomery, Penghua Wang, and Sukanya Narasimhan. He has secured significant grant funding to support his work on circadian regulation of immunity and HIV latency mechanisms. His lab actively contributes to clinical trials, including those exploring immune responses to vaccination and infection. He mentors numerous postdoctoral fellows and graduate students through the Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS).
He directs the Fikrig Lab, which is part of the Yale Center for Infection and Immunity and the Center for Systems & Engineering Immunology. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques in molecular biology, immunology, and animal models to study vector-borne disease transmission and immunity. The team is actively engaged in developing next-generation vaccines using mRNA platforms and exploring novel targets in both pathogens and vectors.
