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UrduLJI Professor Shane Crotty, Ph.D.
Dr. Shane Crotty (@profshanecrotty) is an expert in viruses, vaccines, and the power of immune system memory. He has made major breakthroughs in HIV vaccine design and vaccination strategies. His research on antibodies and B cell memory proved critical for understanding how the human immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2 infections and vaccines. His work has been publically cited by NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Dr. Crotty is an experienced science communicator and has shared his expertise in radio, television and newspaper interviews. His Twitter account, @profshanecrotty, has more than 54,600 followers.
LJI Instructor Alba Grifoni, Ph.D.
Dr. Alba Grifoni (@Alba_Grifoni) studies how the immune system responds to infectious diseases. Her work spans from HIV and dengue to COVID-19 and Zika. She was one of the first T cell immunologists to analyze how the immune system targets SARS-CoV-2, and her groundbreaking work early in the pandemic gave hope that a COVID-19 vaccine could be effective. Since then, she’s analyzed how long (and how well) T cells can remember SARS-CoV-2 and prevent severe infections. Her COVID-19 research earned accolades from NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and organizations worldwide.
Dr. Grifoni has presented her research to journalists around the world and can speak to the experience of leading COVID-19 research as an early career scientist.
LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr.Bio.Sci.
Dr. Alessandro “Alex” Sette (@SetteLab) is a world renowned expert in how T cells recognize and fight pathogens. He can speak on how T cells attack viruses like SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, dengue, Zika, and more. In 2020, Dr. Anthony called his COVID-19 research “work we really need to pursue.” Dr. Sette’s T cell research is also important for understanding how to fight cancers. His work has also revealed a role for immune cells at the onset of Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Sette does regular media outreach and has been featured in top media outlets as well as podcasts such as This Week in Virology.
LJI Research Assistant Professor Daniela Weiskopf, Ph.D.
Dr. Daniela Weiskopf (@Dani6020) is a pioneering T cell scientist whose work has revealed exactly how immune cells target pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 and dengue virus. This work is essential for future vaccine design and testing. Her work in 2021 showed that immune memory of SARS-CoV-2 persists for at least 8 months. In 2022, Dr. Weiskopf co-published the first-ever first head-to-head comparison of four COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax, and Janssen/J&J).
Dr. Weiskopf is a skilled science communicator and has been featured in media outlets worldwide. Her communications experience includes featured spots in the Human Vaccines Project’s “Global COVID Lab Meeting.” Dr. Weiskopf can also speak to the experience of establishing a new laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About La Jolla Institute
The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is dedicated to understanding the intricacies and power of the immune system so that we may apply that knowledge to promote human health and prevent a wide range of diseases. Since its founding in 1988 as an independent, nonprofit research organization, the Institute has made numerous advances leading toward its goal: life without disease. Visit lji.org for more information.
