Brett Case, PhD
Instructor
Dr. Brett Case is a viral immunologist with over 14 years of research experience studying host-pathogen interactions, especially those involving emerging RNA viruses. His current research focuses on developing countermeasures against globally emerging or recurring viral infections such as those caused by coronaviruses, orthomyxoviruses, and paramyxoviruses.
Dr. Case obtained his PhD at Vanderbilt University in the laboratory of Mark R. Denison where he studied the requirements of coronavirus capping and proofreading in immune evasion. Upon joining the laboratory of Michael S. Diamond at the Washington University School of Medicine for his postdoc, he studied the mechanisms of flavivirus and alphavirus restriction by IFIT proteins. However, with the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, he returned to the world of coronaviruses. Since 2020, he has helped lead and support numerous studies including the development of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis models, vaccine design and characterization, monoclonal antibody discovery, and protein-based therapeutics.
Most recently, Dr. Case’s research has expanded to include the development of pan-coronavirus and H5 influenza vaccines, investigating the mechanisms of broadly cross-reactive immune responses across virus families, and methods to elicit sterilizing mucosal immunity following vaccination.
Dr. Case was a Helen Hay Whitney Fellow and Moderna Global Fellow and was awarded the WashU COVID Star Award in 2023.