Stefan Kappe, PhD, has been appointed as the new Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, marking a significant leadership transition in the global fight against malaria and other infectious diseases. Announced by Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Kappe’s appointment cements the center’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge research in vaccinology and infectious disease biology. Alongside his directorship, he will assume the prestigious Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH Professorship of Vaccinology in the Department of Pediatrics, where he will also serve as Vice Chair of Translational Research.
Dr. Kappe brings to Maryland an extensive background as a parasitologist and immunologist, with a robust career at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute. There, he served as Associate Vice Chair of Basic Science Research and Associate Director of the Center for Global Infectious Disease Research. Internationally recognized for his pioneering work in genetic engineering of malaria parasites, Dr. Kappe’s laboratory has developed novel live attenuated malaria vaccines currently undergoing clinical trials. His research has illuminated critical early liver-stage interactions of malaria parasites, deepening scientific understanding of host-pathogen dynamics that are pivotal for vaccine innovation.
The core of Dr. Kappe’s research program involves using reverse genetics and functional genomics to manipulate Plasmodium species at the molecular level. By creating genetically attenuated parasite strains incapable of progressing to symptomatic blood-stage infections, his team has engineered promising vaccine candidates that confer significant protection in preclinical models. These advances are groundbreaking, shifting the paradigm from traditional subunit vaccines to live-attenuated platforms endowed with precise genetic modifications that enhance safety and immunogenicity.
Dr. Kappe’s contributions extend beyond basic science, actively bridging bench discoveries with translational applications. His collaborations with industry partners, notably the biotechnology firm Sanaria, have resulted in cutting-edge malaria vaccine candidates such as PfSPZ-LARC2. This genetically engineered vaccine has demonstrated high protective efficacy in human clinical trials, as recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, positioning it as a potential game-changer in malaria prevention strategies worldwide. Such achievements underscore the translational impact of Dr. Kappe’s work, blending academic rigor with real-world health outcomes.
With over $34 million in external funding, primarily from the National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Kappe’s laboratory is highly supported to continue advancing his research agenda. His projects focus not only on Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, but also on Plasmodium vivax, which is responsible for recurrent infections and presents unique challenges due to its liver-stage persistence. Addressing this hidden reservoir of infection is crucial for achieving long-term malaria control and eventual eradication.
At the University of Maryland, Dr. Kappe aims to develop a translational research roadmap within the Department of Pediatrics, emphasizing early-life immune responses as a frontier for vaccine innovation. By comparing pediatric immunity to adult responses, he hopes to tailor vaccines that are more effective in children, who bear the greatest burden of malaria morbidity and mortality globally. Furthermore, Dr. Kappe is committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and mentoring the next generation of vaccine scientists, thereby strengthening the institution’s research portfolio and global influence.
The Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, under Dr. Kappe’s upcoming leadership, will continue to leverage its longstanding expertise—in both laboratory research and clinical trials—to combat a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. Notably, CVD pioneered controlled human malaria infection studies, a gold-standard challenge model that has been instrumental in proving the efficacy of live attenuated malaria vaccines. The center’s extensive history also includes development and testing of vaccines against diseases such as cholera, typhoid, shigellosis, and respiratory infections, showcasing its multifaceted impact on global public health.
Dr. Kappe’s academic pedigree is distinguished by an h-index of 65 and over 280 scientific publications spanning parasitology, immunology, and vaccine development. His influential works dissect the molecular and cellular mechanisms of malaria pathogenesis, host immune evasion, and vaccine-induced protection. Such scholarship has been widely cited in premier journals including EMBO Molecular Medicine, Nature Microbiology, and Science, highlighting the quality and relevance of his research contributions.
Acknowledged by his peers for excellence in malaria research, Dr. Kappe has received prestigious awards including the William Trager Award in Basic Parasitology and the Bailey K. Ashford medal from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. These accolades recognize his outstanding scientific achievements and his pioneering efforts to develop a malaria vaccine that can dramatically reduce the global public health burden imposed by parasitic diseases.
Looking ahead, Dr. Kappe envisages utilizing genetic engineering technologies to create innovative live-attenuated vaccines that are safer and more potent than current options. His research program will also delve into identifying immune targets critical for next-generation subunit vaccines, as well as exploring novel therapeutic avenues to eliminate dormant liver-stage parasites. By marrying fundamental parasitology with advanced immunological insights, Dr. Kappe is poised to drive transformative progress in malaria vaccine science.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine, dating back to 1807 as the first public medical school in the U.S., supports this bold vision with its expansive research infrastructure and global reach. The School’s Department of Pediatrics is an incubator for translational research, providing a vibrant environment for Dr. Kappe’s efforts to flourish. Through strategic partnerships, state-of-the-art facilities, and a robust funding base, the institution is uniquely positioned to accelerate vaccine innovation that can save millions of lives worldwide.
In a statement reflecting his scientific passion and leadership ambitions, Dr. Kappe expressed his honor in joining the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He emphasized the critical importance of genetic advances for the next generation of life-saving immunizations and pledged to mentor young faculty toward building sustainable, collaborative research programs. His appointment represents not only a personal milestone but also a significant step forward for global health and infectious disease vaccinology.
Subject of Research: Malaria vaccine development, genetic engineering of Plasmodium parasites, infectious disease vaccinology
Article Title: Stefan Kappe, PhD, Named Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at University of Maryland
News Publication Date: Information not specified
Web References:
- University of Maryland School of Medicine: https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health: https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/CVD/
- Sanaria (biotech partner): https://sanaria.com/
References: Clinical trial publication in New England Journal of Medicine (specific citation not provided)
Image Credits: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Keywords: Malaria, Vaccine research, Vaccine development, Plasmodium infections, Infectious diseases, Genetic engineering, Live attenuated vaccines
