Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D.

Tenured Investigator

Dr. Taubenberger received a B.S. in biology from George Mason University in 1982. He earned his medical degree in 1986 and his Ph.D. in 1987, both from the Medical College of Virginia. He completed a residency in pathology at the National Cancer Institute and holds dual board certifications in anatomic pathology and in molecular genetic pathology from the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Medical Genetics. Prior to coming to NIAID in 2006, he served as chair of the Department of Molecular Pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC, a position he held since 1994. Dr. Taubenberger’s research interests include influenza virus biology, evolution, pathophysiology, and surveillance. He also has clinical interests in the development and implementation of molecular diagnostic assays for neoplasia and infectious diseases.

Description of Research Program

The influenza lab seeks to address fundamental questions of influenza virus pathogenesis in different animal hosts, including the mapping of virulence factors and mutations associated with host adaptation. The lab also studies viral evolution and fitness through the development of improved viral surveillance and genomics. These efforts employ both in vitro assays and experimental animal model systems.

Since completing the sequencing of the 1918 pandemic viral genome, the lab has maintained an interest in archaevirology and is seeking to characterize pre-1918 and post-1918 influenza virus genomes from archival samples. A clinical trial addressing influenza viral infection in immunocompromised hosts is also underway. Together, such investigations will help shed light on the emergence, evolution, and severity of future influenza pandemics as well as seasonal influenza.

Major Areas of Research

• Influenza pathogenesis
• Animal models of influenza infection
• Influenza virus genomics and evolution
• Viral surveillance
• Archaevirology
• Influenza diagnostics
• Influenza in the immunocompromised host

Research Group Members

Back row: Brett Jagger, Gerry Jin, John Kash, Jeffery Taubenberger, Qi Li, Vivien Dugan, Rachel Hrabal, Matthew Memoli, Ruixue Wang Front row: David Morens, Zong-Mei Sheng, Eleca Dunham, Rebecca Dunfee

Selected Recent Publications

To view a complete listing, visit PubMed.

Taubenberger JK, Morens DM, Fauci AS. The next influenza pandemic: Can it be predicted? JAMA. 2007 May 9;297(18):2025-7.

Runstadler J, Happ G, Slemons RD, Sheng ZM, Gundlach N, Petrula M, Senne D, Nolting J, Evers DL, Modrell A, Huson H, Hills S, Rothe T, Marr T, Taubenberger JK. Using RRT-PCR analysis and virus isolation to determine the prevalence of avian influenza virus infections in ducks at Minto Flats State Game Refuge, Alaska, during August 2005. Arch Virol. 2007;152(10):1901-10.

Taubenberger JK, Morens DM. The pathology of influenza virus infections. Annu Rev Pathol. 2008;3:499-522.

Wang R, Soll L, Dugan VG, Runstadler J, Happ GM, Slemons RD, Taubenberger JK. Examining the hemagglutinin subtype diversity among wild duck-origin influenza A viruses using ethanol-fixed cloacal swabs and a novel RT-PCR method.

Rambaut A, Pybus OG, Nelson MI, Viboud C, Taubenberger JK, Holmes EC. The genomic and epidemiological dynamics of human influenza A virus. Nature. 2008 May 29;453(7195):615-9.

Dugan VG, Chen R, Spiro DJ, Sengomali N, Zaborsky J, Ghedin E, Nolting J, Swayne DE, Runstadler JA, Happ GM, Senne DA, Wang R, Slemons RD, Holmes EC, Taubenberger JK. The evolutionary genetics and emergence of avian influenza viruses in wild birds. PLoS Path. 2008 May 30;4(5):e1000076.

back to top