Expert Exchange Interviews
Candid conversations with prominent researchers, including Nobel laureates, that explore the scientific advances, careers, motivations, and policy perspectives that have shaped major areas of biomedicine.
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David Baltimore, PhD, reflects on his contributions to biomedical science, which have had a major influence on the fields of molecular biology, virology, cancer, and immunology. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, shares insight into his childhood, what motivated him to go into biomedical research, the impact of the AIDS epidemic, and the lessons learned that he imparts to younger scientists. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Vishva Dixit, MD, talks with Neil S. Greenspan, MD, PhD, senior editor of Pathogens and Immunity aboutwhat his career in science has revealed about biology in humans, but also what it has revealed about how to be successful in science. Dr. Dixit is a world-famous immunologist and biochemist who has made major contributions to the study of innate immunity in general and particularly to understanding inflammasome activation. He is vice president and senior fellow in physiological chemistry at Genentech Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Peter Doherty, PhD, talked with PAI Senior Editor Neil Greenspan, MD, PhD, about the landmark article he and Rolf Zinkernagel published in Nature that described the ability of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-specific cytotoxic T cells to lyse LCMV-infected, 51Cr-labeled target cells if the target cells shared class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules with these T cells Read the article. |
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Anthony Fauci, MD, who was, until recently, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, discusses the national response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He was the principal architect of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, that has saved millions of lives throughout the developing world by assuring access to life-saving antiretroviral therapies. In recent years, he's been the voice of our national response to SARS, Ebola, and COVID, and throughout this Dr. Fauci has led a large basic and translational immunology research laboratory, The Laboratory of Immunoregulation, which has revealed a trove of insights about HIV pathogenesis. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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John Perfect, MD, reflects on his distinguished career in infectious diseases, focusing on his early scientific interests, his pivotal experiences during the emergence of HIV/AIDS, and his extensive research on fungal pathogens, particularly Cryptococcus. Dr. Perfect discusses the evolution of antifungal therapies, the challenges of drug resistance, the promise of molecular diagnostics and immunotherapies, and the complexities faced in clinical research. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and optimism for future generations of scientists, concluding with a message of hope and encouragement for ongoing innovation and resilience in medical science. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Stanley Plotkin, MD, reflects on his professional journey, describing how formative educational experiences influenced his career. He discusses his contributions to vaccine development, notably for rubella and rotavirus, and shares insight on advancements in vaccine technology, including strengths and limitations of mRNA and DNA platforms. Dr. Plotkin emphasizes the importance of adapting public health recommendations as scientific understanding evolves, discusses the challenges of establishing mucosal immunity, and highlights the benefits of combining vaccines. He also offers thoughtful perspectives on natural versus vaccine-induced immunity, drawing upon his extensive expertise. Finally, he touches on his personal interest in learning to fly. Read the transcript. Watch the video |
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Erica Ollmann Saphire talks about how the study of HIV and other viruses informed the rapid development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against COVID-19. In part 2, she shares how her work on hemorrhagic fevers prepared her, and the world, for a rapid response to COVID-19. *This video was produced as a collaboration between Pathogens and Immunity and Keystone Symposia. Read the transcript. Watch the video, part 1. and part 2 |
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Raymond Schinazi, PhD, DSc, talks about his career with Michael M. Lederman, MD, and Neil Greenspan, MD, PhD, senior editors of Pathogens and Immunity. Dr. Schinazi has invented numerous powerful antiviral agents including the antiretrovirals lamivudine (3TC) and emtricitabline (FTC) and the anti-hepatitis C agent sofosbuvir. These agents have saved millions of lives, and here, Dr. Schinazi talks in detail about how these agents were invented, how they work, how they are being applied and offers his thoughts about newer approaches to treat viral infections. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Eric Topol, MD, shares his perspectives on longevity, AI’s evolving role in medicine, and the importance of evidence-based practice for future physician-scientists. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Julie Segre, PhD, researcher for the National Human Genome Research Institute and expert in the field of skin biology, discusses the influences that formed her scientific career and the link between her background in mathematics and molecular biology.
She shares her experience developing the human genome project and how she evolved into studies focused on the microbiome and its impact on health and skin disease with PAI’s senior editors, Mahmoud Ghannoum, PhD, and Robert A. Bonomo, MD. |
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Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, talks with Michael M. Lederman, MD, and Neil Greenspan, MD, PhD, senior editors of Pathogens and Immunity, about his work exploring the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) to drive heterologous gene expression in human cells and the application of his findings to vaccine development and gene therapy. Dr. Weissman received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with Katalin Karikó, PhD. His work has revolutionized immunization technology and allowed for the production of the most effective vaccines to prevent COVID-19. Read the transcript. Watch the video. |
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Jonathan Yewdell, MD, PhD, talks with Pathogens and Immunity senior editor Neil S. Greenspan, MD, PhD, about the evolution of viral immunology, highlighting his work and the contributions of other influential scientists. He emphasizes the importance of passion and collaboration in scientific research, illustrating the potential for groundbreaking discoveries through networking. He provides advice on navigating a scientific career, stressing the significance of strong mentorship. And he shares his perspective on transforming the scientific publishing industry and research education. Read the transcript. Watch the video |