Ami Patel, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Ami Patel (Ph.D.) is a Research Assistant Professor in The Wistar Institute Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center. Dr. Patel’s group focuses on vaccine and immunotherapy development against emerging infectious diseases, including study of immune mechanisms that contribute to protection. Her research employs non-viral DNA vectors for vaccine and antibody delivery. Dr. Patel’s most recent studies include DNA vaccine development against Ebolavirus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and multiple studies in the rapidly advancing field of DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs). Her preclinical animal studies have led to the successful clinical translation of anti-Ebolavirus GP DNA vaccine and anti-Zika virus DMAb candidates (NCT03831503). Together with the Wistar Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, Dr. Patel is leading preclinical immunological studies of a SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidate. This vaccine candidate entered the clinic in ~10 weeks from vaccine design to FDA approval and trial initiation (Smith*, Patel*, Ramos* et al submitted, NCT04336410).