Mehul S Suthar | Associate Professor for Department of Paediatrics-Infectious Disease
Emory University

Dr. Mehul S. Suthar, a leading expert in emerging viral infections, serves as Director of the Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines at Emory University (2024) and Director of the Program on Pandemic Preparedness within the Emory Vaccine Center (member since 2012, Program Director since 2023). These roles highlight a commitment to public health strategies against infectious diseases. His dedication is further demonstrated by the Co-Directorship of the NIH SARS-CoV-2 Assessment of Viral Evolution (SAVE) program (2021), crucial for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 and informing public health and vaccine strategies.

Dr. Suthar is a tenured Associate Professor in Pediatrics (Infectious Disease) at Emory University School of Medicine (September 2022). His professional affiliations include longstanding membership with the Emory Vaccine Center and the Emory National Primate Research Center (November 2012), fostering an interdisciplinary research environment. He also holds a secondary appointment as Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory School of Medicine (September 2014).

The Suthar laboratory investigates the molecular and immunological mechanisms of host control over emerging viral infections like West Nile virus, Zika virus, SARS-CoV-2, and Influenza virus, aiming to inform vaccine and antiviral therapeutic design. Employing a multidisciplinary approach integrating animal models with studies on primary human cells and tissues, the research focuses on dissecting virus-host interactions regulating innate immune signaling and viral control, understanding the role of CD8+ T cells in viral control and clearance, and characterizing the antibody response vital for viral neutralization and long-term immunity.

A major recent focus is the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. The research group identifies and characterizes emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, assessing their risks to current vaccine efficacy. This is supported by Dr. Suthar's leadership in the NIH SAVE program and his advisory role to the WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC). Contributions include the Emory University MilliPub Club Award in 2024 for the 2020 New England Journal of Medicine publication on the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 vaccine in older adults.

Through these multifaceted roles and research endeavors, Dr. Suthar's work aims to advance the fundamental understanding of viral pathogenesis and host immunity, contributing to the development of effective vaccines and therapeutic strategies against emerging viral threats.