Erol Fikrig

Dr. Erol Fikrig is the von Zedtwitz Professor of Medicine, Microbial Pathogenesis, and Public Health at Yale University, where he serves as Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases. A clinician-scientist, his work spans vector-borne diseases, immunology, and vaccinology, with a focus on Borrelia, malaria, Zika, West Nile, and tick-host interactions. He earned an M.D. from Cornell (1985) and a B.A. in Chemistry (1981), then completed fellowships at Yale in Immunobiology and Infectious Diseases. Since 1992 he has held leadership roles at Yale, including Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis, and HHMI Investigator (2007–2020). In 2024 he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine. His prolific bibliography encompasses Lyme disease vaccines, tick salivary antigens, and mRNA vaccines, illustrating his impact on vector biology and infectious disease research globally. He leads translational efforts at Yale and collaborates internationally to advance vaccines and public health policy today.