Top medical research expert Mark T. Esser named inaugural head of UVA’s Manning Institute

Upcoming institute aims to transform healthcare, accelerate new treatments

2025-04-11

(Press-News.org) The University of Virginia has named Mark T. Esser, PhD, a premier expert in the development of new medical treatments and tests, to lead the upcoming Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology and bring to life the institute’s ambitious plans for a healthier tomorrow for people across the world.

In his role as the inaugural chief scientific officer and head of the Manning Institute, Esser will be charged with capitalizing on the cutting-edge biomedical research under way at UVA and UVA Health to tackle some of the greatest challenges in medicine and accelerate the development of new treatments and cures.

In addition to an extremely generous $100 million donation from philanthropists Paul and Diane Manning, the institute is being funded by a substantial investment of $100 million to date from the Commonwealth of Virginia and $150 million from UVA – for a total initial investment of $350 million – signaling strong recognition of the institute’s potential both to transform healthcare and to serve as an economic powerhouse for the state. One of Esser’s responsibilities will be to foster an “ecosystem of innovation” that will attract biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to Central Virginia and the greater Commonwealth, bringing with them hundreds of jobs directly and potentially thousands indirectly.

“We are fortunate to have found an ideal candidate in Dr. Mark Esser to lead the Manning Institute,” UVA President James E. Ryan said. “He brings both great scientific expertise and decades of experience in developing new treatments and medical breakthroughs. He is a bridge-builder who knows how to work collaboratively, how to work efficiently and how to get things done. He will be the lynchpin in realizing the potential of the Manning Institute to shape the future of medicine.”

The 350,000-square-foot Manning Institute is already under construction in Fontaine Research Park. Once complete, the four-story building will bring high-tech research facilities, state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and welcoming patient care space together under one roof. At the same time, UVA is developing a statewide clinical trials network that will expand access to new treatments as they are being developed and tested.

“Dr. Esser is a perfect choice to lead the Manning Institute – and UVA – to the very forefront of cutting-edge medicine,” said Brie Gertler, who oversees the University’s teaching and research activities as interim executive vice president and provost. “He brings the multi-faceted expertise and far-reaching skills that will be essential in fast-tracking exciting ideas into lifesaving and life-changing treatments.”

Esser comes to UVA from research-based biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, where he is vice president for vaccines and immune therapies. In his roles there, he has overseen research and development programs from concept through approval. He also has served as a global product development lead.

His appointment as the Manning Institute’s head marks a homecoming: he obtained his PhD in microbiology from UVA School of Medicine in 1998.

“I’m excited not just to return to UVA but to lead it into a new era of biomedical research,” Esser said. “The Manning Institute represents an unprecedented opportunity both for me, personally, and for the entire field of healthcare. I know the incredible caliber of talent UVA attracts, and I can’t wait to work with many of the top minds in medicine to make a real difference in the lives of people around the world.”

Esser’s skills include immunology (the study of the immune system), vaccines and biologic drugs, virology and microbiology, diagnostics and biomarkers, clinical research and development, business development and navigating federal research regulations and submissions.

“Dr. Esser is a preeminent scientist, with a deep understanding of medical research, who understands how to quickly and safely advance discoveries from the lab bench to the bedside,” said Mitchell H. Rosner, MD, UVA’s acting executive vice president for health affairs. “Our goals for the Manning Institute are to accelerate how quickly we can get new treatments to patients and to ensure that no Virginian has to leave the state for even the most complex care. Dr. Esser has the vision and experience to deliver on both of those.”

In his role at AstraZeneca, Esser collaborates closely with business partners, academic researchers and government officials – experience that will prove invaluable as he helps UVA navigate the complex regulatory requirements and contractual relationships needed to bring new treatments to the clinic. While at AstraZeneca, he has provided leadership and guidance for more than 20 drug discovery, clinical and post-marketing biological drug and vaccine programs. He oversees a staff of 100 and manages an annual budget of more than $30 million.

Further, he is an accomplished scientist himself, holding numerous patents and having published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers. Prior to assuming his current post, he worked as a senior director overseeing clinical immunology, microbiology and diagnostics for infection and cancer vaccine programs for MedImmune/AstraZeneca. In that role, he led global product development for Evusheld, a medicine that received emergency authorization for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 during the pandemic. In addition, Esser also was pivotal in the development of Beyfortus® (niresevimab), a monoclonal antibody approved for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants.

His earlier work included developing biomarker and diagnostic strategies for vaccines against Epstein-Barr virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, pandemic influenza and dangerous infections such as S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and C. difficile.

Prior to joining AstraZeneca, he was a senior research fellow and senior research immunologist at Merck Research Laboratories. He did his postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institutes of Health’s AIDS vaccine program after obtaining his PhD at UVA and his undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University.

“Mark Esser is the complete package – a smart, savvy and experienced leader with broad knowledge and a proven track record of success,” said Paul Manning, a longtime healthcare entrepreneur who now chairs UVA’s Heath System Board. “I am confident he will make the Manning Institute a game-changing force in medicine, to the benefit of patients across Virginia and beyond.”

To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog.

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Top medical research expert Mark T. Esser named inaugural head of UVA’s Manning Institute

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