1). Development of HCMV vaccines
2). Defining immune correlates of prevention of perinatal HCMV infection
3). HIV vaccine development
4). Early life immunity and vaccine responses
5). Maternal immunity and mechanisms of maternal antibody transfer
The development of immunologic strategies to eliminate neonatal pathogens – with the ultimate goal of providing every child with a healthy start to life
We investigate the natural maternal and infant immune responses that contribute to impeding transmission of vertically transmitted viral pathogens, such as HIV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Zika, and how these effective immune responses can best targeted by vaccine approaches.
We then develop and utilize nonhuman primate models of vertical virus transmission to perform proof of concept studies to determine whether the vaccine approaches that target the naturally protective immune responses are effective.
We focus on both innate and adaptive immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface, including mucosal surfaces and the immunology of breast milk.
Biography
Sallie Permar, M.D., Ph.D is an eminent physician-scientist who focuses on the treatment and prevention of neonatal viral infections. She serves as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine and Pediatrician-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital. She is also the Nancy C. Paduano Professor in Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine and Professor of Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Weill Cornell Graduate School.
Distinctions:
2022, Excellence in Science Mid-Career Investigator Award, FASEB
2021, E. Mead Johnson Award, Society for Pediatric Research
2020, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Elected Fellow
2020, Oswald Avery Award for Early Achievement, Infectious Diseases Society of America
2020, Gale and Ira Drukier Prize, Drukier Institute for Children’s Health at Weill Cornell Medicine
2018, Duke University Research Mentoring Award for Translational Research
2018, American Academy of Microbiology Fellow
2018, Duke University Research Mentoring Award for Translational Research
Rasmussen, A. L., Gronvall, G. K., Lowen, A. C., Goodrum, F., Alwine, J., Andersen, K. G., Anthony, S. J., Baines, J., Banerjee, A., Broadbent, A. J., Brooke, C. B., Campos, S. K., Caposio, P., Casadevall, A., Chan, G. C., Cliffe, A. R., Collins-McMillen, D., Connell, N., Damania, B., Daugherty, M. D., … Yurochko, A. (2024). Virology-the path forward.Journal of virology, 98(1), e0179123.
Langel, S. N., Otero, C. E., Steppe, J. T., Williams, C. A., Travieso, T., Chang, J., Webster, H., Williamson, L. E., Crowe, J. E., Jr, Greenberg, H. B., Wu, H., Hornik, C. P., Mansouri, K., Edwards, R. J., Stalls, V., Acharya, P., Blasi, M., & Permar, S. R. (2025). Breast milk delivery of an engineered dimeric IgA protects neonates against rotavirus.Mucosal immunology, 18(2), 441–452.
