Michael A Thomas

Michael A Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Howard University's College of Arts & Sciences, specializing in virology with dual research foci on HIV vaccine development and cancer therapeutics. His work leverages adenovirus vectors to investigate virus-host interactions and immune responses.

Education background:

• B.S. from University of California, Los Angeles (1994)
• Ph.D. from Wake Forest University (2007)
• Postdoctoral Fellow at IBRI, Vaccine Branch, NCI, NIH (2011-2015)

His research integrates virus-host interaction studies with vaccine design and cancer biology. The Thomas lab employs molecular virology and immunology techniques to engineer adenovirus vectors for HIV vaccines while exploring their oncolytic potential. Studies progress from cellular models to nonhuman primates, emphasizing translational applications in mucosal immunity and cancer therapeutics.

Publications (2009-2016) reveal consistent innovation in adenovirus vector engineering, particularly E4 gene modifications, and demonstrate how mucosal immune responses correlate with viral load reduction in primate models. Key advancements include optimizing replicating vectors for HIV vaccines and elucidating adenovirus-cancer pathway interactions.

Scientific awards:

• NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), Grant #1K99AI114379 (2017-2019)

Dr. Thomas mentors students in advanced biomedical research through his lab, which operates with NIH K99/R00 funding. Current projects focus on translating adenovirus vector findings from animal models to human applications, particularly for HIV prevention and cancer therapy. The lab actively trains researchers in immunology and virology techniques for studies spanning cellular to primate models.

The Thomas lab comprises two specialized teams: one dedicated to HIV vaccine design using replicating adenovirus vectors, and another investigating adenovirus interactions with cancer pathways to develop therapeutic vaccines. Collaborations with the NIH facilitate progression from molecular mechanisms to preclinical trials.