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Maria Blasi

Associate Professor in Medicine
Medicine, Infectious Diseases
Box 103020, Durham, NC 27710
2 Genome Court, Msrbii, Room 3077, Durham, NC 27710

Research Interests


Prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines development
Antibody engineering 
Viral pathogenesis
Viral evolution
Gene therapy

Selected Grants


Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) - NIAID

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2029

Identification of Host-Specific Determinants of APOL1-associated COVAN

ResearchCo-Mentor · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2024 - 2029

TRIO NRSA Training Core-Pre Doc Trainee

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2028

U2C/TL1 NC KUH TRIO Administrative Core

ResearchPreceptor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2028

The role of Vpr-mediated cell cycle dysregulation in HIV-associated kidney disease

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · 2022 - 2027

Mechanisms of HIV persistence in the kidney (R01)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2022 - 2027

Role and Mitigation of Inflammasomes and Inflammation During COVID-19

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2022 - 2027

NIAID Virology Quality Assurance - Year 6 Option 5

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2026

Interdisciplinary Research Training Program in AIDS

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2025

Understanding the interplay between local viral infection and local inflammation in COVID-19 kidney injury (R01)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2025

Micro-Particle Delivery of a Potent Intracellular Adjuvant for a Universal Flu Vaccine

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2018 - 2024

Recombinant vectored delivery of maternal antibody for transfer into breast milk and across the placenta

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation · 2018 - 2024

Targeting the HIV-1 reservoir with a combination of an IDLV-SIVGag therapeutic vaccine and Fc-engineered bnAbs (R01)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2023

Persistent HIV Infection in the Kidney

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 1999 - 2022

The Genitourinary Tract as a compartment and reservoir for HIV

ResearchResearch Associate · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2015 - 2021

Fellowships, Gifts, and Supported Research


In depth characterization of strong and long lasting antibody responses induced by a novel vaccination strategy · 2014 - 2016 PI · Awarded by: Duke University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), NIH funded program