Susan Zolla-Pazner, PhD
img_Susan Zolla-Pazner
PROFESSOR | Medicine, Infectious Diseases
PROFESSOR | Microbiology
Research Topics
Antibody Development, B Cells, Biomedical Sciences, HIV/AIDS, Immune Deficiency, Immunoglobulin Genes, Infectious Disease, Lymphocytes, Macrophage, Protein Structure/Function, Retrovirus, Structural Biology, Viruses and Virology
Multi-Disciplinary Training Area
Microbiology [MIC]
AIDS/HIV, Antigen Presentation, B Cells, Computer Simulation, Crystallography, Immune Deficiency, Immunoglobulin Genes, Immunology, Immunosuppression, Infectious Disease, Lymphocytes, Macrophage, Molecular Biology, Protein Structure/Function, Structu
The Zolla-Pazner laboratory is focused on the development of an HIV vaccine through studies of the antibodies (Abs) made by HIV-infected individuals and immunized animals. Together with colleagues participating in a large NIH-sponsored program grant, human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the envelope glycoproteins of HIV are produced from the peripheral blood cells of infected subjects; these mAbs are characterized for their immunochemical features and their anti-viral functions. The mAbs of interest are crystallized and the nature of the antigenic determinants (epitopes) they recognize are determined. These epitopes serve as templates for the design of recombinant “designer immunogens” which are being tested as candidate HIV vaccines in rabbits and monkeys. The Ab response of the immunized animals is analyzed to determine if the Abs made by the animal resemble the mAbs used at the beginning of this process, and if the immune sera from the animals have anti-viral (protective) activity in vitro and in vivo. These studies are augmented by an on-going interest in the protective role of different immunoglobulin classes against HIV and in improved methods for inducing more potent and durable Ab responses by vaccination. The Zolla-Pazner laboratory is focused on the development of an HIV vaccine through studies of the antibodies (Abs) made by HIV-infected individuals and immunized animals. Together with colleagues participating in a large NIH-sponsored program grant, human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the envelope glycoproteins of HIV are produced from the peripheral blood cells of infected subjects; these mAbs are characterized for their immunochemical features and their anti-viral functions. The mAbs of interest are crystallized and the nature of the antigenic determinants (epitopes) they recognize are determined. These epitopes serve as templates for the design of recombinant “designer immunogens” which are being tested as candidate HIV vaccines in rabbits and monkeys. The Ab response of the immunized animals is analyzed to determine if the Abs made by the animal resemble the mAbs used at the beginning of this process, and if the immune sera from the animals have anti-viral (protective) activity in vitro and in vivo. These studies are augmented by an on-going interest in the protective role of different immunoglobulin classes against HIV and in improved methods for inducing more potent and durable Ab responses by vaccination.

B A, Stanford University

Ph D, University of California San Francisco Medical Center

none, NYU School of Medicine

2015

Elected Fellow

American Society of Microbiology

2011

Elected Fellow

American Association for the Advancement of Science

2010

Member, RV144 HIV Clinical Vaccine Trials Committee on Humoral/Innate Immunity

2008

Member, Scientific Advisory Board for M. Cho (University of Iowa Medical School) HIVRAD Program Project Grant

2008

Member, Scientific Advisory Board for R. Ruprecht (Dana-Farber Institute, Harvard Medical School) HIVRAD Program Project Grant

2003

Pioneer Lecturer: Immunology of AIDS, Keystone Conference

2003

Member

AIDS Research Review Study Section, NIAID

1994

Member

Advisory Group for Vaccine Issues & Objectives, NIH Office of AIDS Research

1994

US Chair, AIDS Panel, U.S.- Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program, NIH

1992

Member

AIDS Research Advisory Comittee (ARAC), NIAID/NIH

1992

Member

Vaccine Working Group, DAIDS, NIAID, NIH

1990

Sustained Superior Performance Awards

Veterans Administration

1988

Member

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Special Study Section on AIDS

1985

Superior Performance Awards

Department of Veterans Affairs

1983

Chairman of the First and Second Workshops on AIDS at the Fifth & Sixth International Congresses of Immunology

1982

Co-author of two of the 100 most frequently cited papers published in 1982

NYU School of Medicine Dean's Incentive Awards

2002, 2004, 2005, 2009

Publications

Selected Publications

Dynamics and durability of HIV-1 neutralization are determined by viral replication. Philipp Schommers, Dae Sung Kim, Maike Schlotz, Christoph Kreer, Ralf Eggeling, Anna Hake, Melanie Stecher, Juyeon Park, Caelan E. Radford, Adam S. Dingens, Meryem S. Ercanoglu, Henning Gruell, Stanley Odidika, Marten Dahlhaus, Lutz Gieselmann, Elvin Ahmadov, Rene Y. Lawong, Eva Heger, Elena Knops, Christoph Wyen, Tim Kümmerle, Katja Römer, Stefan Scholten, Timo Wolf, Christoph Stephan, Isabelle Suárez, Nagarajan Raju, Anurag Adhikari, Stefan Esser, Hendrik Streeck, Ralf Duerr, Aubin J. Nanfack, Susan Zolla-Pazner, Christof Geldmacher, Otto Geisenberger, Arne Kroidl, Wiston William, Lucas Maganga, Nyanda Elias Ntinginya, Ivelin S. Georgiev, Jörg J. Vehreschild, Michael Hoelscher, Gerd Fätkenheuer, Jason J. Lavinder, Jesse D. Bloom, Michael S. Seaman, Clara Lehmann, Nico Pfeifer, George Georgiou, Florian Klein. Nature Medicine

Corrigendum: Vaccination with immune complexes modulates the elicitation of functional antibodies against HIV-1(Front. Immunol., (2023), 14, (1271686), 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1271686). Catarina E. Hioe, Xiaomei Liu, Andrew N. Banin, Daniel W. Heindel, Je´romine Klingler, Priyanka G. Rao, Christina C. Luo, Xunqing Jiang, Shilpi Pandey, Tracy Ordonez, Philip Barnette, Maxim Totrov, Jiang Zhu, Arthur Na´das, Susan Zolla-Pazner, Chitra Upadhyay, Xiaoying Shen, Xiang Peng Kong, Ann J. Hessell. Frontiers in Immunology

Vaccination with immune complexes modulates the elicitation of functional antibodies against HIV-1. Catarina E. Hioe, Xiaomei Liu, Andrew N. Banin, Daniel W. Heindel, Jéromine Klingler, Priyanka G. Rao, Christina C. Luo, Xunqing Jiang, Shilpi Pandey, Tracy Ordonez, Philip Barnette, Maxim Totrov, Jiang Zhu, Arthur Nádas, Susan Zolla-Pazner, Chitra Upadhyay, Xiaoying Shen, Xiang Peng Kong, Ann J. Hessell. Frontiers in Immunology

View All Publications

High-throughput Assay for Monitoring COVID-19 Antibodies and Their Isotypes (Webinar)
Susan Zolla-Pazner, PhD

Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology companies, and other outside entities to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their outside financial relationships.

Dr. Zolla-Pazner has not yet completed reporting of Industry relationships.

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