John Teijaro

John Teijaro, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at The Scripps Research Institute. His research focuses on persistent viral infections (LCMV) and acute influenza pathogenesis, with emphasis on type 1 interferon's role in immunity and cytokine-driven pathology. He holds a B.S. in Molecular & Cell Biology (Millersville University, 2004) and a Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology (University of Maryland, 2009).

Research interests include viral immunology, innate immune responses, cytokine amplification mechanisms, and tissue-resident memory T cells. His work has demonstrated that endothelial cells drive cytokine storms during influenza and that blocking IFN-I signaling enhances LCMV clearance via CD4 T cell activation.

Notable awards include the 2014 Baxter Foundation Faculty Scholar award and multiple travel/abstract awards. His recent studies explore SARS-CoV-2 antivirals, therapeutic antibodies, and immunomodulatory drug candidates targeting JAK/STAT pathways and glycan checkpoints.

Key collaborations include work on SLC15A4 inhibitors (Nature Chemical Biology 2024), CD28-sialic acid interactions (ACS Central Science 2021), and STING pathway modulation (Science 2020). Current projects aim to dissect pulmonary immune cell networks and develop novel therapies for viral infections and cancer.