Speakers

Dr. Michael McCracken is a researcher at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Chief of the Medical Countermeasures Department within the Viral Diseases Program and Center for Infectious Disease Research. His research is focused on the interaction triad between mosquito-transmitted viruses, the vector, and the vertebrate host. Dr. McCracken’s studies emphasize the critical differences in dengue pathogenesis between needle-inoculated viruses and mosquito-delivered infections, providing knowledge that is essential for developing improved animal models for countermeasure efficacy testing. Currently, the majority of Dr. McCracken’s research is dedicated to the design, development, and testing of candidate antiviral countermeasures, guiding them from basic science through the transition to Phase 1 clinical trials. Working in close collaboration with academic, government, and industry partners, his team leads ongoing projects to advance novel countermeasures for dengue virus, including therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, antiviral small molecule compounds, and “pathogen-semi-agnostic” vaccine platforms.