Georgia State University announced on March 17 the appointment of Dr. Liang Qiao, an internationally recognized immunologist, as a Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Biomedical Science. Qiao will join the Institute for Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) as a tenured professor and director of the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis beginning April 1.
The appointment is seen as a step to strengthen Georgia State’s research capabilities and reinforce its position in biomedical discovery. The university said that Qiao’s expertise will help shape IBMS’ expanding research enterprise and contribute to advancing scientific knowledge and improving human health.
“Dr. Qiao’s appointment reinforces Georgia State’s commitment to advancing innovative biomedical research that expands scientific knowledge and improves human health,” said Donald Hamelberg, vice president for Research and Economic Development. “We’re excited to welcome him to Atlanta and look forward to the impact he’ll bring to Georgia State and beyond.”
Qiao has led research programs addressing major public health challenges such as HIV, Dengue/Zika, and SARS-CoV-2. His work also explores how inflammation develops at the cellular level, aiming to connect basic immunology with new treatments that can be applied outside the laboratory setting.
Tim Denning, president and CEO of GRA, said, “Liang Qiao reflects the consistently high caliber and reputation of GRA Eminent Scholars. He has created new types of vaccines, found new ways to fight inflammation and broken new ground in understanding how the body’s immune system works. Importantly, many of Dr. Qiao’s discoveries have great potential for advancing toward the clinic to treat people and save lives.”
Qiao holds multiple patents or patent applications for innovations including a novel mucosal vaccine delivery system, first-in-class cytotoxic T lymphocyte–only vaccine strategies, and a probiotic metabolite therapeutic designed for anti-inflammatory intervention. His work has been published in journals such as Nature Communications, Immunity, Cell Reports, Cancer Research, and Gastroenterology.
Dr. Jian-Dong Li, director of IBMS at Georgia State University and a GRA Eminent Scholar himself, said: “Adding Dr. Qiao to our faculty deepens Georgia State’s capacity to lead in infectious disease and immunology. His scholarship and vision will help propel IBMS forward and strengthen the university’s role as a hub for biomedical innovation.”
Qiao comes to Georgia State after more than thirty years at Loyola University Chicago where he held various research leadership roles.
The Georgia Research Alliance is a public-private partnership supporting recruitment of leading scientists since 1990.
