Deborah Heydenburg Fuller, PhD
Professor of Microbiology, University of Washington
Associate Director of Research,
Washington National Primate Research Center
Director, Virology & Immunology Core,
Washington National Primate Research Center
SLU F-461
PO Box 358070
750 Republican St.
Seattle, WA 98109
206-897-6197
My work focuses on developing vaccines and antivirals designed to either block viral transmission at the mucosal site of exposure or treat chronic infections with an emphasis on inducing T cell mediated immunity. I have over 25 years of experience as a principal investigator/co-investigator of grants and contracts in both industry and academia. I am currently serving as PI or Co-I on several grants to develop novel vaccines, adjuvants, antivirals and other therapies against HIV, influenza, HBV and emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases including flaviviruses (Dengue, ZIKV) and more recently SARS-CoV-2.
Studies in my lab have led to development of a therapeutic HIV DNA vaccine that induces durable immune control of chronic SIV infection, a universal influenza DNA vaccine that induces cross-protection in mice and nonhuman primates (NHPs), and computationally designed antivirals for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 that target highly conserved regions of the virus and mediate robust and broad protection against diverse influenza strains. Recently, we also demonstrated the ability of novel COVID-19 replicon RNA vaccine to induce potent immune responses in mice and nonhuman primates. This vaccine is currently being developed to protect from current and future emerging variants in collaboration with a HDT Bio.
My previous role in biotech (PowderJect Vaccines, Inc) led to the development of a clinical gene gun that is, to date, one of the most potent DNA vaccine delivery strategies and co-founding of Orlance, Inc., a Seattle-based biotech that is optimizing the gene gun performed and aims to commercialize the technology for needle-free/room temperature stable delivery of vaccines. Studies in my lab using the gene gun have revealed new insight into how DNA vaccines work and the development of a skin immunization strategy to induce both systemic and mucosal immune responses. I have advanced several DNA vaccines from bench to clinical trials and our lab was the first to show a DNA vaccine can induce protective levels of antibody and T cell responses in 100% of subjects in a human clinical trial. My lab has also played a key role in my field in developing and characterizing NHP models for infectious diseases including HIV, influenza and, most recently, SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.