
Departmental Affiliations
Joint
Center & Institute Affiliations
David Sack, MD ’68, is working to eliminate cholera and other enteric infections as public health problems in Africa and Asia using targeted and effective vaccines.
Contact Info
615 N. Wolfe Street, Room 5537
Baltimore
Maryland
21205
US
410-502-6733
Research Interests
International Health; cholera; cholera vaccine; Cameroon;Uganda;Tanzania;Kenya;Nigeria; rotavirus; diarrhea; Bangladesh; Gates Award; enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli; shigella; shigellosis; typhoid; International Center; epidemiology; oral rehydration solution; ORS; malaria; stopcholera; Shanchol; Euvichol; Vibrio;Global Task Force for Cholera Control;GTFCC;Rotarix.
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
MD
University of Oregon
1969
Overview
David Sack, M.D., is a Professor of International Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointments in the Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Sack’s research focuses on enteric infections and vaccine development for these infections. This includes development and testing of vaccines, laboratory detection of these agents, describing their epidemiology in developing country populations, developing appropriate clinical management strategies including antibiotics and rehydration methods.
Regarding vaccines, Dr. Sack has participated in the development and testing of vaccines for cholera, rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC), and shigellosis. His projects are working to understand the epidemiology of cholera in Africa and Asia, Working in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and other partners, these cholera projects improve our understanding of transmission and facilitate the use oral cholera vaccine as part of an integrated strategy for cholera control. A web site providing details on the use of oral cholera vaccine is at www.stopcholera.org.
To develop vaccines for ETEC, Dr. Sack collaborates with scientists at University of Illinois on a new approach, called MEFA (muti-epitope fusion antigens) to provide broad protection against these bacterial infections by targeting the many colonization factors and toxin antigens with a single fusion protein. The MEFA vaccine is now in the preclinical phase but soon will begin clinical trials.
Regarding vaccines, Dr. Sack has participated in the development and testing of vaccines for cholera, rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC), and shigellosis. His projects are working to understand the epidemiology of cholera in Africa and Asia, Working in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and other partners, these cholera projects improve our understanding of transmission and facilitate the use oral cholera vaccine as part of an integrated strategy for cholera control. A web site providing details on the use of oral cholera vaccine is at www.stopcholera.org.
To develop vaccines for ETEC, Dr. Sack collaborates with scientists at University of Illinois on a new approach, called MEFA (muti-epitope fusion antigens) to provide broad protection against these bacterial infections by targeting the many colonization factors and toxin antigens with a single fusion protein. The MEFA vaccine is now in the preclinical phase but soon will begin clinical trials.
Honors & Awards
Gates Award for Global Health for the ICDDRB
Independence Day Award for the ICDDRB
University of Iowa, Recipient of Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement, 2005.
Fred Soper Lecture at the American Society of Tropical Medicine, 2007.
Donald Mackay Medal, American Society of Tropical Medicine, 2011.
Esther Pohl Lovejoy, MD, Leadership Award, University of Oregon Health Sciences, 2012.
Distinguished Alumnus, Lewis and Clark College, Portland Oregon, 2020
Independence Day Award for the ICDDRB
University of Iowa, Recipient of Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement, 2005.
Fred Soper Lecture at the American Society of Tropical Medicine, 2007.
Donald Mackay Medal, American Society of Tropical Medicine, 2011.
Esther Pohl Lovejoy, MD, Leadership Award, University of Oregon Health Sciences, 2012.
Distinguished Alumnus, Lewis and Clark College, Portland Oregon, 2020
Select Publications
Selected publications from last 4 years.
- Seo H, Garcia C, Ruan X, Duan Q, Sack DA, Zhang W: Preclinical characterization of immunogenicity and efficacy against diarrhea from MecVax, a multivalent enterotoxigenic E. coli vaccine candidate. Infect Immun 2021.
- Mwaba J, Chisenga CC, Xiao S, Ng'ombe H, Banda E, Shea P, Mabula-Bwalya C, Mwila-Kazimbaya K, Laban NM, Alabi P, Chirwa-Chobe M, Simuyandi M, Harris J, Iyer AS, Bosomprah S, Scalzo P, Murt KN, Ram M, Kwenda G, Ali M, Sack DA, Chilengi R, Debes AK: Serum vibriocidal responses when second doses of oral cholera vaccine are delayed 6 months in Zambia. Vaccine 2021, 39:4516-23.
- Bwire G, Orach CG, Aceng FL, Arianitwe SE, Matseketse D, Tumusherure E, Issa M, Muruta A, Merrill RD, Debes A, Ali M, Sack DA: Refugee Settlements and Cholera Risks in Uganda, 2016-2019. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021
- Debes AK, Shaffer AM, Ndikumana T, Liesse I, Ribaira E, Djumo C, Ali M, Sack DA: Cholera Hot-Spots and Contextual Factors in Burundi, Planning for Elimination. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021, 6.
- George CM, Monira S, Sack DA, Rashid MU, Saif-Ur-Rahman KM, Mahmud T, et al. Randomized Controlled Trial of Hospital-Based Hygiene and Water Treatment Intervention (CHoBI7) to Reduce Cholera. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016;22(2):233-41.
Projects
Development of a Vaccine for Enterotoxigenic E coli
Mapping malaria epidemiology in Bangladesh
Vaccination Challenge Study of ACE393
DOVE Project (Stop-Cholera)
Epidemiology and Ecology of Cholera in Africa
Validation of a volunteer model of enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC) diarrhea.