Carl F. Ware, PhD - Sanford Burnham Prebys

A career history of fundamental discovery and translational research in immunology has guided Dr. Ware to identify new drug targets and develop novel therapeutics. Dr. Ware’s career in immunology and virology began in 1982 when he became a Professor at the University of California, Riverside’s Division of Biomedical Sciences. In 1996, he joined the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego as Head of the Division of Molecular Immunology.  Professor Ware joined Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in 2010, serving as the Director of the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center and Adjunct Professor of Biology at the University of California at San Diego. He is currently the Director of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, which focuses on discovering and designing immunotherapeutics.

As an educator, he taught medical students immunology and virology. He trained over 60 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students who chose careers in research in academic and pharmaceutical science, patent law, or teaching.

Dr. Ware advises scientific panels and review boards for the National Institutes of Health and serves on the scientific advisor boards for the Allen Institute for Immunology and the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Scientific advisor with several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies on immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune diseases using innovative approaches to target discovery and drug development.

Dr. Ware’s research program is dedicated to unraveling the intricate intercellular communication pathways that govern immune responses. His work, which centers on cytokines in the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Superfamily, particularly those that regulate cell survival and death in response to viral pathogens, spans the domains of cancer,autoimmune and infectious diseases.

At Sanford Burnham Prebys, Dr. Ware is pivotal in promoting the translation of the faculty’s scientific discoveries. His efforts have led to the Institute’s reputation as a productive and preferred partner in collaborations with Pharma, including multi-year research and drug development projects with Eli Lilly and Avalo Therapeutics. His success translating fundamental knowledge into rational drug design has led to three novel therapeutics targeting inflammatory pathways, currently in clinical trials.

Education

  • 1981-1982: T cell Immunology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute of Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. Tim Springer and Jack Strominger, advisors.
  • 1979-1981: Biochemistry of Complement, University of Texas Health Science Center,  San Antonio, TX. W Kolb, advisor
  • 1974-1979: PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of California, Irvine; Gale Granger, PhD mentor.

Honors and Recognition

  • Distinguished Fellow, American Association of Immunologists
  • Honorary Lifetime Membership Award International Cytokine and Interferon Society 
  • Hans J. Muller-Eberhardt Memorial Lecture
  • Biotech All Star, San Diego Padres Award
  • “Pillars of Immunology” discovery of the Lymphotoxin-b Receptor, published in Science
  • Outstanding Alumnus, Ayala School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine
  • National MERIT Award R37 (10 years), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH
  • National Research Service Award, NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship

Paper: Tumor Necrosis Factor Superfamily in Innate Immunity and Inflammation

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