Children’s Pediatric Research Trust:
Request for Recruitment Support
Recruitment Profile
Name of Investigator being recruited: Jens Wrammert, PhD
Center being recruited to: Children’s Center for Immunology and Vaccines
Department and Division of primary faculty appointment: Departments of Pediatrics and Oncology;
Infectious Diseases Division
Brief biography including research interest, current employment, education/training and current
funding (attach full CV):
Jens Wrammert is an emerging leader in the analysis of human B cell responses following infection
or vaccination. While in the Ahmed laboratory, he pioneered the use of plasmablast quantitation
and sorting for the measurement of plasmablast responses and for the production of monoclonal
antibodies representing early B cell responses. He has applied this to cloning of H1N1 influenza
monoclonals and more recently to dengue virus monoclonals. He is now developing plasmablast
technology for primate models of SIV/HIV pathogenesis.
Jens received his PhD from Lund University in Sweden. He has completed a postdoctoral
fellowship in Rafi Ahmed’s laboratory at Emory, and is presently a research track Assistant
Professor in Microbiology. He is the PI of a Core in the recently awarded P01 grant for mucosal
immune protection from SIV challenge.
Estimated Recruitment Package Request: $750K
Please rank this candidate in the following area using the 1-5 scale (see attached scoring key):
Score:________1__________
Please answer the following questions:
1. Does this recruit fill a need or will they develop a new area of research in the proposed
primary center?
Jens is an outstanding fit with the Center and will bring new skills in B cell biology. He is
interested in developing this technology for B cell responses to childhood infections such as
RSV, which would be a new and important contribution to the understanding of pediatric
infections. His work fits well with the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unity (VTEU)
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efforts, and he will be able to develop ancillary projects related to our ongoing human trials
of new vaccines.
2. How will the recruit’s research address a major problem affecting the health of Children?
B cell responses to both childhood infections and to vaccination are a major thrust of our
Center. Evaluation of the magnitude and specificity of plasmablast responses following
vaccination of children has never been performed, and will break new ground in our
approach to evaluating childhood vaccines. The work has the potential to contribute to the
development of new vaccines for RSV, dengue virus, and other important pathogens of
children.
3. Are there opportunities to leverage resources from other sources to support the cost of
recruitment?
Yes. We will be co-recruiting him with the Dept. of Oncology, and he will also work on some
tumor immunology projects.
4. How will the recruit contribute towards the Children’s/Emory Department of Pediatrics
Research Goal?
He is bringing some extramural dollars to the DOP and will continue to do so. As a rising
star nationally, he will bring prominence to the overall research efforts between CHOA and
Emory.
5. If this recruit is considered junior faculty, please outline justification.
This question should be changed, as junior faculty are vital to our success and growth. He is
already successful as a junior faculty member, and will continue to bring in research
funding.
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