Jon A Weidanz

Jon A Weidanz is a Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), jointly affiliated with the Kinesiology and Bioengineering departments. His expertise spans immunology, cancer therapy, and nanotechnology, with a focus on developing novel biosensors and antibody-based therapeutics targeting peptide-HLA complexes.

Education:

• PhD in Molecular Biology/Immunology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (1992)
• MPH in Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (1987)
• BS in Biology, West Virginia University (1985)

Research Interests:

• Discovery and validation of disease-specific peptide-HLA epitopes
• Development of T-cell receptor mimic (TCRm) antibodies for cancer immunotherapy
• Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems (e.g., T-cell-mimicking nanoparticles)
• Biosensor technologies for label-free detection of biomarkers
• Immune checkpoint modulation (e.g., NKG2A/CD94 axis)

Grants & Collaborations:

• Lead investigator on NIH-funded projects targeting Chlamydia-induced immune responses and MHC-peptide ligand selection
• Co-investigator on CPRIT-funded cancer nanotechnology initiatives
• Industry partnerships (e.g., Resonant Sensors Inc. for biosensor applications)

Labs & Teams:

• Pioneered the North Texas Genomics Center
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in bioengineering, oncology, and computational biology