Ralph S. Baric

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Introduction

Ralph S. Baric is a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specializing in epidemiology and microbiology.
He has spent over three decades studying coronaviruses, focusing on their genetics, replication, and cross-species transmission.
Baric's lab has developed novel candidate vaccines using alphavirus vectors and has been pivotal in coronavirus research.
He has been involved in controversial gain-of-function research, particularly with Shi Zhengli from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Baric has received numerous awards, including the Oliver Max Gardner Award and the Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award.
He has published extensively on coronaviruses and other RNA viruses, contributing significantly to the understanding of viral pathogenesis and vaccine development.

Position: William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Research Focus: Specializes in the study of coronaviruses, including their genetics, replication, and cross-species transmission.
Vaccine Development: Developed novel candidate vaccines using alphavirus vectors.
Zoonotic Viruses: Recognized the importance of zoonotic viruses as emerging pathogens in humans.
Highly Cited Researcher: Named to Clarivate Analytics’ Highly Cited Researchers list in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Drug Development: Awarded a grant from NIAID to develop a promising new drug against deadly coronaviruses.

Gain-of-Function Research: Involved in controversial gain-of-function research with Shi Zhengli from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Lab Safety Concerns: Criticized the biosafety levels at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, recommending higher safety standards.
COVID-19 Origins: Testified that the origins of COVID-19 could not be definitively ruled out as a lab accident.
Public Scrutiny: Faced intense public and scientific scrutiny over his research methods and collaborations.
Regulatory Review: Believed that certain gain-of-function experiments should have triggered regulatory review.

Oliver Max Gardner Award: Received in 2021 from the UNC System.
Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award: Awarded in 2021 by the Triangle Business Journal.
William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology: Title awarded in 2019 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Innovation Award for Faculty Research: Received in 2011 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Established Investigator Award: Awarded in 1994 by the American Heart Association.
Harvey Weaver Scholar: Awarded in 1986 by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

An orally bioavailable broad-spectrum antiviral inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in human airway epithelial cell cultures and multiple coronaviruses in mice. (2020)
Comparative therapeutic efficacy of remdesivir and combination lopinavir, ritonavir, and interferon beta against MERS-CoV. (2020)
Sera Antibody Repertoire Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Broad and Pandemic Strain Neutralizing Responses after Human Norovirus Vaccination. (2019)
Evaluation of a recombination-resistant coronavirus as a broadly applicable, rapidly implementable vaccine platform. (2018)
Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses. (2017)
MERS-CoV and H5N1 influenza virus antagonize antigen presentation by altering the epigenetic landscape. (2018)

Shi Zhengli: Collaborated on gain-of-function research with the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Gilead Sciences Inc.: Partnered to develop an experimental antiviral treatment for coronaviruses.
EcoHealth Alliance: Worked with Peter Daszak on research proposals and studies related to zoonotic viruses.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): Received a grant to accelerate the development of a new drug against coronaviruses.
Gillings School of Global Public Health: Continued collaboration on various research projects.