Barney S. Graham, MD, PhD

Barney S. Graham is an immunologist, virologist, and clinical trials physician with an extensive background in basic and translational research applied to vaccine development. His work has focused on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, coronaviruses, HIV, and other emerging viral diseases. After graduating from Rice University, he obtained his MD from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1979. He completed residency and two chief residencies in Internal Medicine, a fellowship in Infectious Diseases, and a PhD in Microbiology & Immunology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he rose to the rank of Professor of Medicine with a joint appointment in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology.

In 2000 he became one of the founding investigators for the NIAID Vaccine Research Center at the U.S. NIH as Chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory and Clinical Trials Core and was Deputy Director of the VRC before retiring in 2021. He is the recipient of the Robert M. Chanock Award for lifetime contributions to RSV research, the Dr. Charles Mérieux Award for Achievement in Vaccinology and Immunology, the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal Award, and the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.

He is an author on more than 500 scientific publications, and a thought leader on emerging viral diseases and pandemic preparedness. He is best known for his research on RSV pathogenesis, structure-based vaccine design, and application of mRNA delivery technology. He was involved in the advanced evaluation of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies for HIV, Ebola, and Chikungunya, and developed novel vaccines for RSV, influenza, Zika, paramyxoviruses, and coronaviruses including the first COVID-19 vaccine and monoclonal antibody to enter clinical testing and that subsequently achieved Emergency Use Authorization and licensure.