Dr Robert Wallis
Investigator
Dr. Wallis is a physician scientist with training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, and expertise in the development of biologics, vaccines, and small molecules to treat infectious diseases. He has published approximately 140 manuscripts, review articles, and book chapters, in the areas of biomarkers, immunotherapy, and anti-infective drug development. Since January 2014, he has served as the Aurum Institute’s Chief Science Officer, where his responsibilities focus on studies of host-directed adjunctive therapy of tuberculosis. He previously led the development of oxazolidinone sutezolid at Pfizer, and holds adjunct faculty appointments at Case Western Reserve University and Rutgers University.
For the collaboration, Dr Wallis is planning an MDR TB treatment trial evaluating regimen containing, sutezolid in MDR TB patients. Wallis is leading the evaluation of various novel host directed therapies in combination with standard TB treatment on TB patient outcomes in collaboration with Prof Vangu evaluating host responses using PET/CT imaging. Patient non-adherence to TB treatment is an ongoing challenge and solutions may lie in enhancing health professional-patient communication. Wallis is leading the development of a new rapid molecular diagnostic for emerging drug resistance.