Scott Weaver, PhD

Dr. Weaver's research focuses on the pathogenesis, ecology, and genetics of arthropod-borne viruses, especially alphaviruses and dengue, and on vaccine development. His vaccine development work focuses primarily on the encephalitic alphaviruses, including Venezuelan (VEEV), eastern (EEEV) and western equine encephalitis viruses (WEEV), which are important, naturally emerging pathogens, as well as chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which has recently reemerged to cause millions of cases of severe and often chronic arthralgia in Africa and Asia. Dr. Weaver's current ecologic studies include VEEV in southern Mexico as well as sylvatic dengue and CHIKV in West Africa. Another area of interest and current funding is the mechanisms of arbovirus transmission by mosquito vectors. Dr. Weaver is the director of UTMB's Institute for Human Infections and Immunity.

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Welcome

Located on historic Galveston Island, Texas, the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development (SCVD) was inaugurated in December 2001. With 70+ faculty members from twelve School of Medicine Departments, the center incorporates the expertise of more than 100 cutting-edge research programs currently at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). The faculty and staff of the SCVD strive to create, perfect and promote the most effective and safest disease prevention strategies. In this effort, the center carries on the proud tradition of medical research and discovery that has been a hallmark of UTMB since its inception.

The center fosters the highest quality collaborative and programmatic research and facilitates the translation of laboratory findings to prevention of infectious diseases in the community. Examples of diseases and pathogens for which vaccine development research and/or clinical trials are being conducted include: parasitic diseases (malaria, cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases and Trypanosoma cruzi), respiratory diseases (including anthrax, tuberculosis, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus), arboviruses (including Chikungunya, dengue and West Nile), sexually transmitted diseases (including genital herpes and papillomavirus), rickettsiae (including Ehrlichia and Orientia), hemorrhagic fevers (such as Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Lassa fever, Ebola, Marburg, and Rift Valley fever), and enteric bacteria (such as H. pylori and E. coli). Members of the center also examine influences on vaccine acceptance and uptake, and address issues relevant to the development of public policies governing health care. In addition, the center facilitates education and training in vaccinology for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and physicians.

UTMB's SCVD is a comprehensive vaccine center that develops and supports multidisciplinary programs in:

  • Discovery
  • Basic and applied research/preclinical development
  • Clinical trials/clinical research
  • Public health policy
  • Community outreach
  • Education and training

Our mission is to improve human health by:

  • Conducting research focused on the development and use of vaccines
  • Developing public policy and education programs to foster vaccine acceptance
  • Training investigators in the field of vaccine research

New!Download SCVD 2009-2010 Annual Report

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