Stefan Kappe, PhD

Infectious Disease Research

Children's Title: Professor

Academic Title: Affiliate Professor, University of Washington

Research Center: Center for Global Infectious Disease Research

  • Biography

    Stefan Kappe, PhD, received his undergraduate degree in biology from the Friedrich Wilhelms University, Germany, and his PhD in molecular biology and parasitology from the University of Notre Dame. He performed postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Professor Victor Nussenzweig at the New York University School of Medicine. Kappe is the scientific director of the Malaria Clinical Trials Center, where early-stage malaria vaccine and drug candidates are tested in humans. He holds an affiliate faculty position at the University of Washington (Global Health).

  • Awards and Honors

    Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date
    Sornchai Looareesuwan Medal Bangkok, Thailand 2016
    William Trager Award in Basic Parasitology American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Atlanta, GA 2016
    New Scholar in Global Infectious Disease Ellison Medical Foundation 2004 - 2008
    George R. LaRue Award University of Notre Dame, IN 1997
    Young Investigators Award The New Children's Hospital Westmead 1997
    Outstanding Presentation Award, Molecular Parasitology Meeting Woods Hole, MA 1997

  • Publications

    Manuscripts in Refereed Journals

    • Lindner SE, Swearingen KE, Shears MJ, Walker MP, Vrana EN, Hart KJ, Minns AM, Sinnis P, Moritz RL, Kappe SHI.
      Transcriptomics and Proteomics Reveal Two Waves of Translational Repression During the Maturation of Malaria Parasite Sporozoites
      Nat Commun, 2019 Oct. 31 : 10(1)4964 PMCID:PMC6823429
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31673027/
    • Muller I, Jex AR, Kappe SHI, Mikolajczak SA, Sattabongkot J, Patrapuvich R, Lindner S, Flannery EL, Koepfli C, Ansell B, Lerch A, Emery-Corbin SJ, Charnaud S, Smith J, Merrienne N, Swearingen K, Moritz RL, Petter M, Duffy MF, Chuenchob V.
      Transcriptome and histone epigenome of Plasmodium vivax salivary-gland sporozoites point to tight regulatory control and mechanisms for liver-stage differentiation in relapsing malaria.
      Int J Parasitol , 2019 June : 49(7)501-513
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31071319
    • Gupta DK, Dembele L, Voorber-van der Wel A, Roma G, Yip A, Chuenchob V, Kangwanrangsan N, Ishino T, Vaughan AM, Kappe SH, Flannery EL, Sattabongkot J, Mikolajczak S, Bifani P, Kocken CH, Diagana TT.
      The Plasmodium liver-specific protein 2 (LISP2) is an early marker of liver stage development.
      Elife , 2019 May : 8 PMCID:PMC6542585
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31094679

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  • Presentations

    Presentations Title Event Location Date
    Next generation genetically engineered whole parasite vaccines. Gordon Research Conference, Translational Malaria Research in Patients and Populations Les Diablerets Conference Center, Les Diablerets, Switzerland June 30, 2019 - July 5, 2019
    A double-edged sword: Innate and adaptive immunity to Plasmodium liver infection. EMBL, BioMalPar XV: Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite Heidelberg, Germany May 28, 2019 - May 30, 2019
    Development of late liver stage arresting genetically attenuated PfSPZ and parasites expressing heterologous antigens. Malaria Vaccines for the World 2019 University of Oxford, Oxford, UK May 8, 2019 - May 10, 2019
    Towards generating a genetically-engineered replication-competent whole Plasmodium falciparum parasite vaccine. Joint International Tropical Medicine Meeting 2018 Amari Watergate Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand Dec. 12, 2018 - Dec. 14, 2018
    The pre-erythrocytic stages of malaria infection: Biology meets live-attenuated vaccine design. 2018 Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York April 18, 2018
    Genetically engineered whole malaria parasite vaccines. International Vaccine Conference International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India Nov. 27, 2017 - Nov. 29, 2017
    Preventing pre-erythrocytic malaria parasite infection with vaccines: The role of innate immunity. Gordon Research Conference, The Basic Science of Malaria: A Springboard for New Approaches to Control and Elimination Les Diablerets Conference Center, Les Diablerets, Switzerland July 2, 2017 - July 7, 2017
    Genetic engineering of whole malaria parasite vaccines. World Malaria Day Vaccine Symposium John Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD April 25, 2017
    Challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of a protective malaria vaccine. Joint International Tropical Medicine Meeting 2016 Amari Watergate Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand Dec. 7, 2016 - Dec. 9, 2016
    Modeling human malaria parasite infections and interventions in humanized mice. International Symposium of Humanized Mouse Models Nanjing, China Sept. 22, 2016 - Sept. 23, 2016
    Yecuris FRG Liver Model and its Uses in Malaria Research ASTMH 64th Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA Oct. 25, 2015 - Oct. 29, 2015
    Bridging Animal Models and Human Malaria Research with Humanized Mice Gordon Research Conference: Translating Malaria Research to the Field PGA Catalunya Business and Convention Centre, Girona, Spain July 26, 2015 - July 31, 2015
    Novel insight into Plasmodium vivax liver development and hypnozoite persistence 5th Annual International Conference of Research for Plasmodium Vivax Research Bali, Indonesia May 19, 2015 - May 22, 2015
    A robust humanized mouse model for human malaria parasites ASTMH 63rd Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA Nov. 2, 2014 - Nov. 6, 2014
    GAP Vaccination and Immune Responses Exploring Immunological Mechanisms of Whole Sporozoite Vaccination against Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Workshop NIH / NIAID, Rockville, MD Sept. 2, 2014 - Sept. 3, 2014
    Host hepatocyte signaling in malaria parasite liver stage infection SPP 1580 International Conference on Intracellular Niches of Pathogens Frankfurt, Germany Sept. 28, 2013 - Oct. 1, 2013
    Plasmodium vivax infection in mice with humanized livers Gordon Research Conference, Molecular & Cell Biology of Malaria Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco, Lucca (Barga), Italy Aug. 4, 2013 - Aug. 9, 2013
    Measuring perturbations in host hepatocyte signaling reveals susceptible host target nodes for intervention against malaria liver stage infection Systems Biology of Infection Symposium Conference Monte Verità, Switzerland June 22, 2013 - June 23, 2013
    Liver-stage infection of the humanized mouse model Malaria Culture Systems Consortium Cambridge, MA April 3, 2013 - April 4, 2013
    Live attenuated parasite vaccination strategies for prevention of malaria infection XVII International Congress for Tropical Medicine and Malaria Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Sept. 23, 2012 - Sept. 27, 2012
    Perturbations in host cell signaling reveal susceptible target nodes for intervention against malaria liver stage infection EMBL, 8th Annual BioMalPar Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite Heidelberg, Germany May 14, 2012 - May 16, 2012
    The Pre-erythrocytic Malaria Infection: Fundamental Biology and Live-attenuated Vaccine Design. Seattle BioMed Monday Seminar Series Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA Feb. 14, 2011
    The Pre-erythrocytic Malaria Infection: Fundamental Biology and Live-attenuated Vaccine Design. New York University School of Medicine Fall Seminar Series New York, NY Dec. 17, 2010
    Genetically engineered malaria parasite vaccine approaches: Current status. ASTMH 59th Annual Meeting Atlanta, GA Nov. 3, 2010 - Nov. 7, 2010
    Progress and obstacles in the development of live-attenuated whole cell malaria vaccines. Eleventh International Symposium on Dendritic Cells, DC 2010: Forum on Vaccine Science Lugano, Switzerland Sept. 26, 2010 - Sept. 30, 2010
    Live-attenuated whole-cell malaria vaccine design. Gordon Research Conference, Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions Salve Regina University, Newport, RI June 27, 2010 - July 2, 2010
    Use of humanized mice to accelerate vaccine and drug discovery. Humanized Mice Workshop, Human Vaccine Consortium Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany June 10, 2010 - June 13, 2010
    Progress in developing a genetically attenuated parasite (GAP) malaria vaccine. ASTMH 58th Annual Meeting Washington, DC Nov. 18, 2009 - Nov. 22, 2009
    Clinical Development of GAP Sporozoite Malaria Vaccine & Live Attenuated Malaria Vaccine Development. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges in Global Health 5th Annual Meeting Arusha, Tanzania Oct. 19, 2009 - Oct. 21, 2009
    Aspects of Hepatocyte Infection and Intra-hepatocytic Development. Gordon Research Conference, Parasite Biology and Host-Parasite Interactions Magdalen College, Oxford, UK Sept. 6, 2009 - Sept. 11, 2009
    Pf and Py Liver Stage Assays. Medicines for Malaria Venture: Review of Biological Studies and Drug Discovery Enabling Technologies Geneva, Switzerland Sept. 3, 2009 - Sept. 4, 2009
    Whole organism genetically attenuated malaria vaccine approaches. World Health Organization Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) Meeting: Progress and challenges with whole organism malaria vaccines Dakar, Senegal June 3, 2009 - June 4, 2009
    Designer Malaria Parasites: Implications for Biology and Live Attenuated Vaccine Development. Johns Hopkins Research Institute Conference on Research Advances in Malaria: Cell Biology Of Malaria: Understanding Infections, Targeting Interventions Baltimore, MD May 2009
    Humanized Mice for Human Malaria Infection. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges in Global Health Grand Challenge 4: Devise Reliable Tests in Model Systems to Evaluate Live Attenuated Vaccines, Scientific Progress Meeting Amsterdam, Netherlands April 2009
    Immune Evasion Mechanisms in Malaria—Liver Stage. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease Institute Workshop: Immunology of Malaria. Bethesda, MD March 16, 2009 - March 17, 2009
    Designing live-attenuated malaria vaccines. Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute Seminar Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA Jan. 30, 2009
    Approaches to Attenuated Sporozoite Vaccine for Malaria. ASTMH 57th Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA Dec. 7, 2008 - Dec. 11, 2008
    Back to the future: Live attenuated malaria vaccines by design. Global Health Symposium: Malaria in the 21st Century University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA Nov. 2008
    Live attenuated malaria vaccine design. Keystone Symposium, Pathogenesis and Control of Emerging Infections and Drug Resistant Organisms Bangkok, Thailand Oct. 2008
    GC5: A Protective Genetically Attenuated P. falciparum Sporozoite Vaccine. Grand Challenges in Global Health 4th Annual Meeting Bangkok, Thailand Oct. 2008
    Genetically Engineered Malaria Parasite Vaccines. 6th Matsuyama International Symposium on Cell-Free Sciences Matsuyama, Japan Sept. 1, 2008
    Genetically Engineered Malaria Parasite Vaccines. Keystone Symposium, Malaria: Immunology, Pathogenesis, and Vaccine Perspectives Alpbach, Austria June 2008
    Genetically attenuated malaria parasites: gene expression, phenotypes and vaccines. Molecular Approaches to Malaria Lorne, Australia Feb. 2008
    Mind the GAPs: Towards protective live attenuated malaria vaccines Malaria Vaccines for the World (MVW) Meeting London, UK Sept. 1, 2007
    Microbiology: Malaria’s Stealth Shuttle CDC Distinguished Lecturer Series, Science Education Committee CDC, National Centers for Infectious Disease April 11, 2007
    Mind the GAPs: Towards protective live attenuated malaria vaccines Microbiology and Immunology Departmental seminar series University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD April 4, 2007
    Genetically engineered parasites: A fast track to a protective malaria vaccine? UC Irvine, School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Irvine, CA March 21, 2007
    Of GAPs and FABPs: Malaria liver stage biology informs protective vaccine development. Seattle Malaria Group, Seattle, WA Dec. 2006
    Genetically engineered parasites: A fast track to a protective malaria vaccine? Vaccines Clinical Research at Merck Dec. 2006
    Gene expression and function in Plasmodium sporozoites and liver stages 2006 BWF Summer Conference, Person, Place or Thing – The Fluid Roles of Host, Microbe, and Environment in Infectious Diseases Vancouver, British Columbia Aug. 2006
    Attenuated Parasite Vaccines & Transfected Parasites Fifth Annual East African Regional Training Workshop Morogoro, Tanzania July 2006
    Malaria liver stages: from biology to vaccines. Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases’ Annual Symposium Athens, GA May 1, 2006
    Genetic Attenuation of Malaria Parasites: Implications for Vaccine Development 106th ASM General Meeting Orlando, FL May 2006
    Exploring exoerythrocytic development of Plasmodium. Third International Malaria Research Conference Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD March 1, 2006
    Liver stage development and host interactions. Keystone Symposium, Malaria: Functional Genomics to Biology to Medicine Taos, NM Feb. 1, 2006
    Novel and Classical Strategies for Attenuated Malaria Vaccines. Eighth Annual Conference on Vaccine Research National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, Baltimore, MD Dec. 2005

  • Research Funding

    Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date
    Single-Cell Profiling of Plasmodium Vivax Sporozoites - (Aitchison/Kappe) CGIDR FY19 Pilot $50,000 Jan. 1, 2019 - Sept. 30, 2019
    Inducing durable, protective immune memory against malaria - U01AI142001 (Kappe) NIH $640,521 Annual Direct Costs Jan. 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2023
    Molecular Determinants of Sporozoite / Host Cell Interactions- R01AI134956 (Kappe) NIH $250,000 Annual Direct Costs July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2023
    Exosome-based biomarkers of persistent vivax malaria liver infection - R21AI135680 (Kappe) NIH/NIAID $130,000 Annual Direct Costs Sept. 1, 2017 - Aug. 31, 2019
    Harnessing the power of experimental genetic crosses and systems genetics to probe drug resistance in malaria - P01AI27338 (Kappe/Vaughan) Notre Dame / NIH $206,054 Annual Direct Costs Aug. 1, 2017 - July 31, 2019
    Engineering of genetically attenuated pre-erythrocytic Plasmodium parasites for cross-stage protective immunity - R01AI125706 (Kappe) NIH / NIAID $250,000 Annual Direct Costs July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2021
    Infection-blocking antibody targets for malaria - R01AI117234 (Kappe/Sather) NIH / NIAID $451,400 Annual Direct Costs April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2021
    Innate Immune Response to Malaria Liver Stage Infection - R01AI114699 (Kappe) NIH / NIAID $296,692 Annual Direct Costs Nov. 1, 2014 - Oct. 31, 2019

Overview

Research Description

The Kappe Lab is focused on understanding the complex biology of the malaria parasite and the immune responses to infection, using this information to design transformational interventions that will help win the fight against malaria. 

Research Focus Area

Global Health, Host-Pathogen Interaction, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Malaria, Systems Biology, Biotechnology, Drug Resistance, Genetic Engineering, Genetics