Vitalant Research Investigators & Core Directors

Science beyond measure

Vitalant Research Institute is home to a distinguished team of researchers whose expertise spans epidemiology, immunology, virology, molecular biology and transfusion medicine. Our investigators include internationally recognized leaders, senior scientists and emerging researchers, many of whom hold dual appointments at top academic institutions. With advanced degrees in medicine, public health and biomedical sciences, they drive innovation in blood safety and infectious disease research. Their collective work continues to shape the future of transfusion medicine through groundbreaking studies, global collaborations and a steadfast commitment to improving patient outcomes.

Brian S. Custer, Ph.D., MPH

Director, Vitalant Research Institute
Michael P. Busch, M.D., Ph.D.

Director Emeritus
Elaine A. Yu, Ph.D., MPH

Assistant Investigator
Erika G. Marques de Menezes, Ph.D.

Assistant Investigator
Rachael P. Jackman, Ph.D.

Associate Investigator
Tamir Kanias, Ph.D.

Associate Investigator
Philip J. Norris, M.D.

Director, Laboratory Science
Kimberly A. Thomas, Ph.D.

Assistant Investigator
Susanne Marschner

VP of Research and Scientific Programs
Graham Simmons, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator, Virology
Shana D. Hughes, Ph.D., MPH

Assistant Investigator
Satish K. Pillai, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator, Viral Pathogenesis

Xutao Deng, Ph.D.

Director, Bioinformatics Core
Hasan Sulaeman, MSc

Director, Epdemiology Core
Marcus Muench, Ph.D.

Director, Cell Therapy Core
Clara Di Germanio

Director, Immunology Core
Pamela Milani, Ph.D.

Director, Molecular Technology and Genomics (MTG)
Mars Stone, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Core Laboratories

Marion Lanteri, Ph.D.

Director Scientific Affairs, Cerus Corporation, Concord, California; Affiliate Investigator, Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco; Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of California San Francisco
Edward L. Murphy, Jr, M.D., MPH
Ester C. Sabino, M.D., Ph.D.

Director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine at the University of Sao Paulo; Associate Professor at the Department of Infectious Disease University at the Sao Paulo Medical School, Brazil
Eric Delwart, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator, Molecular Virology, Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California
Eduard Grebe, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist (Affiliate)
Shannon Kelly, Ph.D.

Assistant Clinical Investigator, Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco Assistant Medical Director, Blood Centers of the Pacific
Nareg Roubinian, M.D., MPHTM

Assistant Clinical Investigator, Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco; Adjunct Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research; Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of California, San Francisco Department of Laboratory Medicine
Charles Chiu, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); Director, UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center Associate; Director, UCSF Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, San Francisco, California.
Angelo D’Alessandro, Ph.D.

Affiliate Investigator