Dr. Arturo Casadevall is a globally recognized leader in the fields of immunology and microbial pathogenesis, currently serving as the Alfred and Jill Sommer Professor and Chair of the W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He holds a Bloomberg Distinguished Professorship with joint appointments at both the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise. Dr. Casadevall earned his M.S., Ph.D., and M.D. from New York University before establishing a distinguished career that included serving as Director of the Center for Immunological Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He joined Johns Hopkins University in 2015 as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, bringing with him decades of pioneering research at the interface of microbiology and immunology.
His groundbreaking research program has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how pathogenic microbes, particularly fungi, cause disease and how host immune systems mount effective defenses against them. Dr. Casadevall's seminal work on Cryptococcus neoformans pathogenesis has revealed critical mechanisms by which this opportunistic fungal pathogen evades host immunity and establishes infection in immunocompromised individuals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a pivotal role in the national effort to investigate and implement convalescent plasma therapy, leveraging antibodies from recovered patients to treat those newly infected. His prescient research on the relationship between climate change and emerging fungal pathogens, particularly the drug-resistant Candida auris, has positioned him at the forefront of understanding how environmental shifts may drive the emergence of novel infectious disease threats.
Beyond his laboratory research, Dr. Casadevall has made substantial contributions to scientific discourse through his leadership roles as Editor in Chief of mBio and Deputy Editor of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, where he shapes the direction of microbiological and immunological research globally. He has authored the influential book What If Fungi Win which explores the potential consequences of climate change on fungal evolution and human health, demonstrating his ability to translate complex scientific concepts for broader audiences. His election to both the National Academy of Sciences in 2022 and the National Academy of Medicine recognizes the profound impact of his work on the scientific community. Dr. Casadevall continues to investigate the complex dynamics between host immunity and microbial pathogenesis while addressing emerging challenges at the intersection of infectious diseases, climate change, and public health preparedness.
