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; Senior Vice President, Research and Scientific Programs, Vitalant; Affiliate Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Michael P. Busch, M.D., Ph.D.

Director Emeritus / Vice President for Research and Scientific Programs
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, Vitalant Research Institute, Laboratory Science VP of Research and Scientific Programs, Vitalant
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, Medical Anthropology, Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California
Satish K. Pillai, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator, Viral Pathogenesis

Xutao Deng, Ph.D.

Bioinformatics Core Director, Senior Staff Scientist
Hasan Sulaeman, MSc

Epdemiology Core Manager, Staff Scientist II, Data and Informatics
Marcus Muench, Ph.D.

Cell Therapy Core Director, Senior Scientist
Clara Di Germanio

Immunology Core Director, Staff Scientist
Pamela Milani, Ph.D.

Molecular Technology and Genomics (MTG) Core Director, Staff Scientist II

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
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'Allessandro, Ph.D.

Affiliate Investigator