Dr. Vladimir Badovinac has been selected as a Distinguished Scholar by University of Iowa Health Care. The goal of the Distinguished Scholar program is to identity and support outstanding mid-career faculty who are becoming internationally recognized leaders in their field of research. Each Distinguished Scholar is appointed to a 3-year term, receiving $200,000/year to support their expanding and innovative research program.

https://medicine.uiowa.edu/content/university-iowa-health-care-distinguished-scholars-program

Dr. Badovinac has maintained a strong research presence in the field of T cell biology (with an emphasis on CD8 T cells and memory) and importantly, developed a second novel line of investigation (immunoparalysis after sepsis) that has gained national attention. As to the former, Vladimir has continued to focus on the development and maintenance of memory CD8 T cells, especially in the context of infection and vaccination.

In addition, Dr. Badovinac developed a novel program investigating the state of immunoparalysis that occurs after sepsis. It is well known that patients who survive a septic episode are much more likely to succumb to infection in subsequent years due to prolonged immune dysfunction. However, the basis for this lesion is poorly understood and few experimental immunologists have explored the problem. Vladimir recognized this need and developed a multi-faceted program to reveal the nature of this immunosuppression at both the molecular and cellular level.

Dr. Badovinac’s research program is funded by multiple NIH grants and his laboratory has a strong record of publication in high impact journals. He also holds the Pathology Professorship in Infection and Immunity Research.

Finally, Dr. Badovinac is the second University of Iowa Health Care Distinguished Scholar in Pathology as Dr. Jian Zhang was selected as a Distinguished Scholar during the inaugural 2020 competition.