Thomas Geisbert, PhDProfessor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston, Texas, USA

Dr. Geisbert is currently a Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He has considerable experience conducting experiments utilizing NHPs in high biocontainment, with over 29 years’ BSL-4 experience at USAMRIID and at the GNL. He has experience managing large research programs, including a current U19 Center of Excellence for Translational Research grant. His research interests have focused on the study of hemorrhagic fever viruses and he has published extensively in this area. His research group was the first to demonstrate complete protection of NHPs against both Ebola and Marburg viruses and Lassa virus using a novel vaccine based on recombinant VSV. More recently, they demonstrated that this vaccine is capable of providing postexposure protection against filoviruses in NHPs. His group also performed the first studies to show complete postexposure protection of NHPs against the Zaire species of Ebola virus using a novel siRNA-based strategy. In addition, he has extensive experience in developing and refining appropriate animal models that mimic human disease, including the NHP model used in this project.