Jon Steichen

Jon Steichen, PhD, is an Institute Investigator in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego (2012), and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (2006). His research focuses on vaccine design, particularly targeting HIV and influenza viruses, leveraging structural biology, mRNA technologies, and nanodisc platforms to develop immunogens that prime broadly neutralizing antibody responses.

His work emphasizes optimizing vaccine candidates through strategies like membrane-bound mRNA immunogens and alum-anchored formulations. He has contributed to understanding B cell lineage activation and the role of innate immunity in vaccine efficacy. Key achievements include designing HIV envelope trimers to silence non-neutralizing epitopes and elucidating mechanisms of antibody-neutralizing activity.

Steichen has received prestigious awards such as the CHAVI-ID Young Investigator Award (2017) and NIH training grants. His research spans HIV vaccine development, SARS-CoV-2 RBD constructs, and structural basis of influenza immunity. His publications reflect a deep engagement with nanotechnology (e.g., lipid nanoparticles), antibody engineering, and preclinical vaccine testing in non-human primates and humanized mouse models.

His professional experience includes roles as Senior Scientist (2019–2023), Scientist (2016–2019), and Postdoctoral Researcher (2012–2016) at TSRI. Earlier roles include teaching and research in biochemistry and botany at UCSD and UW-Madison.