Gary Nabel
American virologist and immunologist
Gary J. Nabel
Alma materHarvard University
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Scientific career
FieldsVirology, Immunology
InstitutionsSanofi
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Harvard Medical School
University of Michigan

Gary J. Nabel is an American virologist and immunologist. He is the co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of ModeX Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in Natick, Massachusetts.[1] From 1999 to November 2012, he served as the founding director of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)[2][3], part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Education

Nabel earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1975, receiving his doctor of medicine degree in 1980, and his doctorate in 1982. His doctoral research was completed under immunologist Harvey Cantor.[4] After completing his doctorate, Nabel conducted postdoctoral research with molecular biologist David Baltimore at the Whitehead Institute, focusing on transcriptional regulation of HIV gene expression by the transcription factor NF-κB.[5][6]

He later completed a residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Scientific career and research

Nabel joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1987, where he led a research laboratory on infectious diseases and cancer immunotherapy. His research focused on gene transfer,[7] basic mechanisms of HIV gene regulation, and NF-κB transcriptional control.[8][9] He served as a professor of internal medicine and biological chemistry and as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute until 1999,[10] conducting research on viral vectors in gene therapy and transcriptional regulation of cellular and viral gene expression.[11][12]

In 1999, Nabel was appointed as the founding director of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases within the NIH. The VRC focused on laboratory research and clinical trials of vaccines, including over 100 clinical studies for vaccine candidates against SARS, Chikungunya, Universal Influenza, and Ebola vaccines.[13] His research during this time focused on neutralizing antibodies. His Ebola research using molecular immunology and molecular virology techniques identified genes critical for Ebola virus replication and assembly. This work led to the development of a vaccine that was tested in non-human primates[14][15][16][17] and helped define the immune mechanisms of protection, setting the foundation for the VSV vaccine.

The VRC also developed a Chikungunya vaccine effective in primates and utilized a structure-based approach to vaccine design that revealed broadly protective human immune responses to HIV.[18] This led to the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies to the highly conserved CD4 binding site of HIV that entered human efficacy trials in Africa.[19]

Nabel moved to the private sector in 2012, joining Sanofi as Chief Scientific Officer. His research there focused on trispecific antibodies for the treatment and prevention of AIDS and cancer.[20][21][22] In 2020, Nabel co-founded ModeX Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, which was acquired by OPKO Health in 2022. [23][24]

Nabel has served on scientific advisory boards and councils, including serving as Chairman of the Strategic Development and Scientific Advisory Council (SDSAC).[25]

Awards

Nabel has received the Amgen Scientific Achievement Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,[26] The Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service, the Geoffrey Beene Foundation[27] Builders of Science Award from Research America, and the James Tolbert Shipley Prize for Research at Harvard Medical School.[26] He received an honorary degree from the University of London, as well as the U.S. Army Medical Department’s Order of Military Medical Merit. Nabel is an elected fellow of the Association of American Physicians, the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences, and the AAAS. Nabel was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 1992 and the National Academy of Medicine in 1998.

Nabel served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Keystone Symposia[28] from 2017 to 2019. He was a Council Delegate to the AAAS, Medical Sciences Section from 1997 to 2002, and was the editor for the Journal of Virology from 1995 to 2005.

Selected publications

See Google Scholar for citation information.

  • Nabel, Gary; Baltimore, David (1987-04-22). "An inducible transcription factor activates expression of human immunodeficiency virus in T cells". Nature. 326 (6114): 711–713. Bibcode:1987Natur.326..711N. doi:10.1038/326711a0. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 3031512. S2CID 4317942.
  • Osborn, L.; Kunkel, S.; Nabel, G. J. (1989-04-01). "Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 stimulate the human immunodeficiency virus enhancer by activation of the nuclear factor kappa B". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 86 (7): 2336–2340. Bibcode:1989PNAS...86.2336O. doi:10.1073/pnas.86.7.2336. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 286907. PMID 2494664.
  • Nabel, G. J.; Nabel, E. G.; Yang, Z. Y.; Fox, B. A.; Plautz, G. E.; Gao, X.; Huang, L.; Shu, S.; Gordon, D.; Chang, A. E. (1993-12-01). "Direct gene transfer with DNA-liposome complexes in melanoma: expression, biologic activity, and lack of toxicity in humans". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 90 (23): 11307–11311. Bibcode:1993PNAS...9011307N. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.23.11307. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 47971. PMID 8248244.
  • Wu, Xueling; Yang, Zhi-Yong; Li, Yuxing; Hogerkorp, Carl-Magnus; Schief, William R.; Seaman, Michael S.; Zhou, Tongqing; Schmidt, Stephen D.; Wu, Lan; Xu, Ling; Longo, Nancy S.; McKee, Krisha; O’Dell, Sijy; Louder, Mark K.; Wycuff, Diane L.; Feng, Yu; Nason, Martha; Doria-Rose, Nicole; Connors, Mark; Kwong, Peter D.; Roederer, Mario; Wyatt, Richard T.; Nabel, Gary J.; Mascola, John R. (2010-08-13). "Rational Design of Envelope Identifies Broadly Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibodies to HIV-1". Science. 329 (5993): 856–861. Bibcode:2010Sci...329..856W. doi:10.1126/science.1187659. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 2965066. PMID 20616233.

References

  • Dolgin, Elie (2013-03-06). "Straight talk with Gary Nabel". Nature Medicine. 19 (3): 256. doi:10.1038/nm0313-256. ISSN 1078-8956. PMID 23467227. S2CID 205377266.
  • Branswell, Helen (2016-03-17). "Sanofi science chief says it's to time 'think big' about Zika". Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  • Gokhale, Ketaki (2016-07-12). "Sanofi Sees Cure for Cancer Woes in Moving West for Acquisitions". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  • Advisory board bio page for the EU-funded Advanced Immunization Technologies project

Notes

  1. ^ "Gary Nabel » ModeX Therapeutics". ModeX Therapeutics. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  2. ^ Malakoff, David (1999-03-10). "Nabel to Head AIDS Vaccine Institute". www.science.org. Archived from the original on 2022-02-12. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  3. ^ Levin, Jennifer (15 November 2012). "Sanofi Appoints Dr. Gary J. Nabel as Chief Scientific Officer". Fierce Biotech. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  4. ^ "home0004 - Dr. Gary Jan Nabel (born 1953)". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2025-11-07.
  5. ^ Nabel, Gary; Baltimore, David (1987). "An inducible transcription factor activates expression of human immunodeficiency virus in T cells". Nature. 326 (6114): 711–713. Bibcode:1987Natur.326..711N. doi:10.1038/326711a0. PMID 3031512.
  6. ^ Osborn, L.; Kunkel, S.; Nabel, G. J. (1989). "Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 stimulate the human immunodeficiency virus enhancer by activation of the nuclear factor kappa B". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 86 (7): 2336–2340. Bibcode:1989PNAS...86.2336O. doi:10.1073/pnas.86.7.2336. PMC 286907. PMID 2494664.
  7. ^ Nabel, G. J.; Nabel, E. G.; Yang, Z. Y.; Fox, B. A.; Plautz, G. E.; Gao, X.; Huang, L.; Shu, S.; Gordon, D.; Chang, A. E. (1993). "Direct gene transfer with DNA-liposome complexes in melanoma: expression, biologic activity, and lack of toxicity in humans". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 90 (23): 11307–11311. Bibcode:1993PNAS...9011307N. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.23.11307. PMC 47971. PMID 8248244.
  8. ^ Wu, X; Yang, ZY; Li, Y; Hogerkorp, CM; Schief, WR; Seaman, MS; Zhou, T; Schmidt, SD; Wu, L; Xu, L; Longo, NS; McKee, K; O'Dell, S; Louder, MK; Wycuff, DL; Feng, Y; Nason, M; Doria-Rose, N; Connors, M; Kwong, PD; Roederer, M; Wyatt, RT; Nabel, GJ; Mascola, JR (Aug 2010). "Rational design of envelope identifies broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1". Science. 329 (5993): 856–61. Bibcode:2010Sci...329..856W. doi:10.1126/science.1187659. PMC 2965066. PMID 20616233.
  9. ^ Branswell, Helen (2016-03-17). "Sanofi science chief says it's to time 'think big' about Zika". Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  10. ^ Dolgin, Elie (2013). "Straight talk with Gary Nabel". Nature Medicine. 19 (3): 256. doi:10.1038/nm0313-256. PMID 23467227.
  11. ^ Nabel, G. J.; Nabel, E. G.; Yang, Z. Y.; Fox, B. A.; Plautz, G. E.; Gao, X.; Huang, L.; Shu, S.; Gordon, D.; Chang, A. E. (1993-12-01). "Direct gene transfer with DNA-liposome complexes in melanoma: expression, biologic activity, and lack of toxicity in humans". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 90 (23): 11307–
  12. ^ Elgass, Jane R. (1997-12-10). "Omenn details Med Center Initiatives | The University Record". The University Record, University of Michigan. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  13. ^ "NIH Vaccine Chief Gary Nabel Trades Dream Job for Big Pharma". www.science.org. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  14. ^ Sullivan, NJ; Hensley, L; Asiedu, C; Geisbert, TW; Stanley, D; Johnson, J; Honko, A; Olinger, G; Bailey, M; Geisbert, JB; Reimann, KA; Bao, S; Rao, S; Roederer, M; Jahrling, PB; Koup, RA; Nabel, GJ (2011). "CD8(+) cellular immunity mediates rAd5 vaccine protection against Ebola virus infection of nonhuman primates". Nat. Med. 17 (9): 1128–1131. doi:10.1038/nm.2447. PMID 21857654.
  15. ^ Sullivan, NJ; Geisbert, TW; Geisbert, JB; Xu, L; Yang, Z-Y; Roederer, M; Koup, RA; Jahrling, PB; Nabel, GJ (2003). "Accelerated vaccination for Ebola virus haemorrhagic fever in non-human primates". Nature. 424 (6949): 681–684. Bibcode:2003Natur.424..681S. doi:10.1038/nature01876. PMC 7095492. PMID 12904795.
  16. ^ Xu L, Sanchez A, Yang Z, Zaki SR, Nabel EG, Nichol ST, Nabel GJ. "Immunization for Ebola virus infection. Nature Med. 4(1):37-42.
  17. ^ Sullivan, N; Sanchez, A; Rollin, PE; Yang, ZY; Nabel, GJ (2000). "Development of a preventative vaccine for Ebola virus infection in primates". Nature. 408 (6812): 605–609. Bibcode:2000Natur.408..605S. doi:10.1038/35046108. PMID 11117750.
  18. ^ Zhou, T; Xu, L; Dey, B; Hessell, AJ; Van Ryk, D; Xiang, S-H; Yang, X; Zhang M-, Y; Zwick, MB; Arthos, J; Burton, DR; Dimitrov, DS; Sodroski, J; Wyatt, R; Nabel, GJ; Kwong, PD (2007). "Structural definition of a conserved neutralization epitope on HIV-1 gp120". Nature. 445 (7129): 732–7. Bibcode:2007Natur.445..732Z. doi:10.1038/nature05580. PMC 2584968. PMID 17301785.
  19. ^ 7. Pegu A, Yang ZY, Boyington JC, Wu L, Ko SY, Schmidt SD, McKee K, Kong WP, Shi W, Chen X, Todd JP, Letvin NL, Huang J, Nason MC, Hoxie JA, Kwong PD, Connors M, Rao SS, Mascola JR, Nabel GJ. "Neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 envelope protect more effectively in vivo than those to the CD4 receptor. Sci. Transl. Med. 6(243):243ra88, 2014.
  20. ^ Wu, X; Yang, ZY; Li, Y; Hogerkorp, CM; Schief, WR; Seaman, MS; Zhou, T; Schmidt, SD; Wu, L; Xu, L; Longo, NS; McKee, K; O'Dell, S; Louder, MK; Wycuff, DL; Feng, Y; Nason, M; Doria-Rose, N; Connors, M; Kwong, PD; Roederer, M; Wyatt, RT; Nabel, GJ; Mascola, JR (Aug 2010). "Rational design of envelope identifies broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1". Science. 329 (5993): 856–61. Bibcode:2010Sci...329..856W. doi:10.1126/science.1187659. PMC 2965066. PMID 20616233.
  21. ^ Wu, L; Seung, E; Xu, L; Rao, E; Lord, DM; Wei, RR; Cortez-Retamozo, V; Ospina, B; Posternak, V; Ulinski, G; Piepenhagen, P; Francesconi, E; El-Murr, N; Beil, C; Kirby, P; Li, A; Fretland, J; Vicente, R; Deng, GJ; Dabdoubi, T; Cameron, B; Bertrand, T; Ferrari, P; Pouzieux, S; Lemoine, C; Prades, C; Park, A; Qiu, HW; Song, ZL; Zhang, BL; Sun, FX; Chiron, M; Rao, S; Radošević, R; Yang, Z-Y; Nabel, GJ (2019). "Trispecific antibodies enhance the therapeutic efficacy of tumor-directed T cells through T cell receptor co-stimulation". Nat Cancer. 1: 86–98. doi:10.1038/s43018-019-0004-z. PMID 35121834.
  22. ^ Xu, L; Pegu, A; Rao, E; Doria-Rose, N; Beninga, J; McKee, K; Lord, DM; Wei, RR; Deng, G; Louder, M; Schmidt, SD; Mankoff, Z; Wu, L; Asokan, M; Beil, C; Lange, C; Leuschner, WD; Kruip, J; Sendak, R; Kwon, YD; Zhou, T; Chen, X; Bailer, RT; Wang, K; Choe, M; Tartaglia, LJ; Barouch, DH; O'Dell, S; Todd, JP; Burton, DR; Roederer, M; Connors, M; Koup, RA; Kwong, PD; Yang, ZY; Mascola, JR; Nabel, GJ (Oct 2017). "Trispecific broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies mediate potent SHIV protection in macaques". Science. 358 (6359): 85–90. Bibcode:2017Sci...358...85X. doi:10.1126/science.aan8630. PMC 5978417. PMID 28931639.
  23. ^ Incorvaia, Darren (October 9, 2024). "ModeX's multispecific antibodies shut down COVID variants and advance to the clinic with $35M more BARDA bucks". Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  24. ^ Pandey, Pragya (June 7, 2022). "Is OPKO Health A Diagnostics Stock Worth Buying?". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  25. ^ Sanofi (2013). "Sanofi appoints Dr. Gary J. Nabel as Chairman of the SDSAC - Jan 7/2013". European Pharmaceutical Review. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
  26. ^ a b Infections, Institute of Medicine (US) Forum on Emerging; Knobler, Stacey L.; Mahmoud, Adel AF; Pray, Leslie A. (2002), "Forum Member, Speaker, and Staff Biographies", Biological Threats and Terrorism: Assessing The Science and Response Capabilities: Workshop Summary, National Academies Press (US), retrieved 2024-11-24
  27. ^ "Front Page". Geoffrey Beene Foundation. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  28. ^ "Leadership". OPKO Health, Inc. 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
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