James Voss

James Voss, PhD, is an Institute Investigator in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, La Jolla, California. He earned his PhD in Structural Virology from the University of Paris (2011) and completed postdoctoral training at Scripps Research (2011–2017). His lab focuses on engineering B cells using CRISPR-Cas9 to generate genome-modified B lymphocytes for cell therapies targeting HIV and other infectious diseases. Key areas include reprogramming B cell antigen receptors (BCRs) to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), enhancing their affinity maturation, and applying this technology to genetic diseases like hemophilia. The lab is funded by grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the NIAID.

• Education:
  • PhD (Structural Virology), University of Paris (2011)
  • M.S. (Biochemistry), University of Alberta (2003)
  • B.S. (Chemistry & Biochemistry), University of Western Ontario (1999)
• Professional Experience:
  • 2006–2011: PhD student at Institut Pasteur
  • 2011–2017: Postdoctoral Fellow at Scripps Research
  • 2018–present: Institute Investigator at Scripps Research

Research interests center on engineered B cells as tools for vaccine development, immunotherapy, and gene therapy. Notable achievements include pioneering CRISPR-Cas9 reprogramming of BCRs and demonstrating their capacity to induce durable bnAb responses in mouse models. Current projects explore bi/multi-specific bnAbs in non-human primates (NHPs) and applications in hemophilia treatment. The lab employs four graduate students, one postdoc, and one research assistant.

Awards:

• 2017 Bill and Melinda Gates Award for CAR-B Vaccine Development
• 2006 European Commission Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Fellowship

Lab Activities:

• In vitro germinal center systems for directed antibody evolution
• Development of affordable engineered B cell therapies for global health
• CRISPR-modified B cells for HIV functional cure approaches