William R. Jacobs Jr.

William R. Jacobs Jr. holds dual professorships in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology and the Department of Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he also holds the Leo and Julia Forchheimer Chair in Microbiology & Immunology. His research focuses on understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis, developing novel vaccines using recombinant herpes vectors, and identifying mechanisms of bacterial persistence. Key projects include creating comprehensive deletion mutant libraries of M. tuberculosis, studying antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and advancing luciferase reporter phage diagnostics.

Research areas emphasize: 1) Virulence factor identification through genetic screens, 2) Mechanisms enabling bacterial survival under host/antibiotic assault, 3) Vaccine development targeting influenza, TB, dengue, and EEEV, and 4) Rapid diagnostic technologies. His lab's work spans molecular genetics, immunology, and translational medicine with a focus on global health challenges.

Publications (2017-2019) highlight breakthroughs in T-cell mediated immunity, metabolic pathways of persistence, and novel drug combinations. Current efforts prioritize translating basic science discoveries into clinical solutions for TB and viral infections.