C. Henrique Serezani, PhD, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has been named director of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology (VCI).
Since its founding in 2015, VCI has served as a hub of research focused on fundamental human immune system regulation. VCI has been transitioned to a programmatic area within the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation (VI4), to support the mission of VI4 to grow microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt.
“VI4 is excited to assume administrative leadership of VCI and have VCI join our network of supported programs,” said VI4 Director Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH, the Ernest W. Goodpasture Professor of Pathology. “Dr. Serezani is an internationally recognized expert on the role of inflammation in infection and autoimmunity and an outstanding leader who has developed an exciting vision for the future of VCI. We are thrilled to have him join the leadership team of VI4 to help us better serve the immunology and immunometabolism community at Vanderbilt.”
“VCI’s transition into the VI4 community signifies a move toward integrated, interdisciplinary research — linking immunology with infection, inflammation and metabolism,” said Serezani, who is also associate vice chair for Research in the Department of Medicine.
VCI was previously directed by Jeffrey Rathmell, PhD, and in its 10 years has had “significant success” in attracting accomplished faculty members who have secured funding and achieved high recognition, Serezani said. VCI has been recognized as a FOCIS (Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies) Center of Excellence.
“VCI faculty have made important contributions to cancer research, immunometabolism, immunogenetics, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, with publications in leading journals,” Serezani said. “VCI’s history of recruiting and promoting nationally respected faculty, along with a strong focus on training, has established VCI as a leading center in academic immunology.”
Serezani said he plans to build on this impressive track record by bolstering large-scale grant initiatives, supporting the mission of VI4, and mentoring early-career investigators and trainees by helping launch a robust National Institutes of Health-supported (T32) immunology training program.
Serezani completed his PhD at the University of Sao Paulo and the University of Michigan, where he also completed postdoctoral training. He was a faculty member at Indiana University School of Medicine before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt University in 2016.
His research team aims to develop therapeutic strategies to control systemic (sepsis) and localized (skin and lung) infections in healthy individuals, individuals with immune deficiencies, and those suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes.
