Mingtao Zeng, Ph.D.

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Research Focus

Vaccine Development/Infection and Immunity

Research Overview

We are developing new-generation vaccines against human respiratory pathogens such as influenza viruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and agents important for biodefense such as Bacillus anthracis, botulinum neurotoxins, and Francisella tularensis. Our multi-component candidate vaccines are being formulated and delivered by noninvasive nasal, oral, or transcutaneous manners, using recombinant viruses, bacteria, plasmid DNA, and detoxified bacterial toxins as vaccine antigen delivery vehicles. The noninvasive and easy administration procedures are expected to eliminate pain associated with needle injection, to reduce the requirement for specially trained personnel and equipment, and to permit rapid vaccine deployment in a short time frame at a low cost.

To facilitate the development of more effective vaccines, we are also researching:

(1) the effect of current vaccination programs on the epidemiological changes of respiratory pathogens (strain replacement and antigenic variation);

(2) how people respond to infections or vaccinations at the cellular and molecular levels (B cell, T cell, and gene expression levels);

(3) identification of new protective antigens through genomic and proteomic approaches.

Current Appointments

• Assistant Professor - Department of Microbiology and Immunology (SMD)

Lab Description

We are developing new vaccines against microbial pathogens such as influenza viruses, B. anthracis, botulinum neurotoxins, F. tularensis, nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi), and S. pneumoniae.