Dr. Paul Makidon is the Director of Vaccine Development at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine & Biological Sciences (MNIMBS). Mastering the fields of biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and comparative medical research has prepared Dr. Makidon to be an effective scientist and colleague in the area of pre-clinical, nanotechnology based research. Dr. Makidon’s research interests include the use of multifunctional nanotechnological platforms to combat emerging disease, zoonosis (diseases that infect both people and animals), and global health disparity. He focuses on infectious disease, mucosal vaccine development, mucosal immunology and microbiocidal drug development. Dr. Makidon’s current research is centered on the evaluating virulence factors associated with H5N1 (Avian influenza) and H1NI (Swine influenza) strains which lead to infectious spread from animals to people. The overall aim of his studies is to identify therapeutic strategies for the prevention of viral transmission. He is working on the development of global nanoscale polyvalent inhibitors of these viruses. This platform may be useful for combating viral diseases that excessively burden the global population, but are especially prevalent in developing populations. Because of his educational experiences and background, Dr. Makidon is particularly well positioned to study zoonotic pathogens. The benefits to society are direct and clear.

Publications

LiPuma, J.J., Rathinavelu, S., Foster, B.K., Keoleian, J.C., Makidon, P.E., Kalikin, L.M., Baker, J.R. Jr., In vitro activities of a novel nanoemulsion against Burkholderia and other multidrug-resistant cystic fibrosis-associated bacterial species, Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 Jan;53(1):249-55.

Makidon, P.E, Bielinska, A.U., Nigavekar, S.S., Janczak, K.W., Knowlton, J., Scott, A.J., Mank, N, Cao, Z., Rathinavelu, S., Beer, M.R., Wilkinson, J.E., Blanco, L.P., Landers, J.J., Baker, J.R. Jr., Pre-clinical evaluation of a novel nanoemulsion-based hepatitis B mucosal vaccine, PLoS ONE. 2008 Aug 13;3(8):e2954.

Bielinska, A. U., Janczak, K. W., Landers, J. L., Makidon, P., Sower, L.E., Peterson, J. W., Baker, J. R. Jr.., Mucosal Immunization with a Novel Nanoemulsion-based Recombinant Anthrax Protective Antigen Vaccine Protects against B. anthracis Spore Challenge, Infect Immun. 2007 Aug;75(8):4020-9.

Makidon, P.E.: “Esophagostomy Tube Placement in the Anorectic Rabbit” A technique article. Lab Animal, 2005 Sept;34:33-36.