Researcher | Research Background
Dr. David Dowling is an immunologist and vaccinologist, Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a faculty in the Precision Vaccine Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Dowling obtained a B.Sc. in Biotechnology (Hons) and Ph.D. in Immunology/Vaccinology/Parasitology at Dublin City University (in 2009), where his graduate work made groundbreaking progress in characterizing the immune-polarizing effects of parasite proteins and development of anti-helminth vaccines. David completed his postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Levy in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, where he pioneered innovative use of primary human in vitro modeling, early life animal models in vivo, novel vaccine formulation strategies and multi-omics data integration to develop adjuvanted vaccines targeted to vulnerable populations. His work has resulted in multiple first-authored publications in journals such as the Vaccine, Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, Journal of Immunology, ImmunoHorizons, Biomaterials, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology and Trends in Immunology and numerous patent applications of novel intellectual property. David has played a key role in the conception and initiation of BCH’s Adjuvant Discovery (since 2014) and Development Programs (since 2018), NIH-funded contracts, aimed at discovering/developing novel small molecule adjuvants and formulating them to enhance immunization against pertussis and influenza in infants and the elderly, respectively. David is also a formal Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists AAI Public Policy Program, with a special focus on vaccinology, public and political awareness and NIH funding advocacy.