Jesse Erasmus

Couldn’t find a virology starter pack so here’s one to get the ball rolling. Repost/reply if you are a virologist so I can find and add you to the list! go.bsky.app/SinqoJU

Excited to contribute to this effort. Solving this problem will require multiple shots on goal. We at HDT Bio will be contributing our experience in manufacturing of long RNA molecules and simplified formulation with LION to create safe, yet potent, personalized drugs. More information to come soon!

Excited that our work to mature a new vaccine and therapeutics platform, with application of the technology to an important tick borne disease, is getting some recognition. Of course, where the rubber meets the road is in the data. More to come on that soon! www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

🧪Published my first commentary on RNA vaccines against nonenveloped viruses. www.cell.com/molecular-th...

In my new Nucleic Acid Insights interview, I discuss the evolving science of RNA therapeutics. Addresses safety, manufacturing, and delivery, and how HDT Bio’s LION platform moves beyond LNPs to enable potent, localized, extrahepatic RNA delivery. www.insights.bio/nucleic-acid...

Excited to announce our new ARPA-H award to “Close the DOORs” mapping how viruses exploit human cells and learning how to shut them. Grateful to @arpa-h.bsky.social and our amazing team! 🔗 www.mountsinai.org/about/newsro... #ARPAH #Virology #HostPathogen #Innovation #Science

New #NatureComms paper: Muscle-specific gene editing therapy via mammalian fusogen-directed virus-like particles. #Myoblue tinyurl.com/35wcweap

Follow up publication describing immunogenicity and efficacy in NHPs of historical and contemporary H5N1 vaccine compositions against challenge with contemporary cattle virus isolate. What we concluded in mice did not translate to NHPs. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Even our project, which directly addressed the tolerability and upper respiratory tract immunity gaps highlighted by RFK Jr, was impacted by this decision. They clearly didn’t review the 22 contracts/grants and the data already generated under taxpayer investment. We are 3 yrs into our program…

Excited to meet the D2R community!

🧪 New paper from our team at HDT Bio highlighting that combo repRNA vaccines can lead to excessive innate activation that ultimately inhibits vaccine effectiveness in NHPs. Use of repRNA formulations with restricted biodistribution can alleviate systemic innate response and restore effectiveness.

Our latest preprint is now available doi.org/10.1101/2025...! Led by my postdoc, Luqiang Guo @luqiang.bsky.social, we determined a ~2.4 A resolution structure of the hantavirus glycoprotein tetramer on the surface of VLPs. Also determined structures of dimers of tetramers and Fab-bound tetramers.

I didn’t realize you could filter the posts of who you follow! The paper feed is just what I was looking for.

Shook Nelson Mandela’s hand when I was 10 years old at some kind of gathering in a community park. Just remember him getting off a helicopter and walking through a crowd shaking hands, including mine.

Outstanding op-ed from Carole LaBonne Universities and the government: Which needs the other more? College-based research labs are the workhorses of national progress and prosperity. wapo.st/3ZR1vFm 1/n

Just published! Here we report immunogenicity and efficacy of our replicon RNA vaccine against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in a cynomolgus macaque model of #CCHFV infection. Stay tuned as we advance this candidate in clinical trials. www.thelancet.com/journals/ebi...

There are days in life that shake you. I’m shattered 💔 to share that I just found out that the US Government terminated my 2024 NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (~$2 million), threatening my long-promised assistant professor job at Columbia University & academic career... 1/🧵

Proteins are a source of glycans found in preparations of glycoRNA https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.17.643711v1

NIH is the best investment there is. www.forbes.com/sites/michae...

Beautiful day to stand up for science!

To those who attack vaccines over rare adverse events (observed in consenting populations) and defend SpaceX after spaceship explosions put populations at risk (without consent): science, whether in medicine or aerospace, relies on observation & iteration to improve safety. We need science!

Vashon island struggling to roll out of bed this morning.

Ok scientists & those who love science 🧪: here is another exhortation. Call Congress TODAY about the freeze on NIH Council Meetings and Study Sections. Emphasize that this means NO new grants are being funded & labs will soon start to shut down and fire employees. Phone numbers are at: 5calls.org

🚨 WANT TO HELP US STAND UP FOR SCIENCE? 🚨 Here's a little update on where we're currently at with the planning process! Is your state red or grey & you want to see an event happen? Fill out our volunteer form or share with a friend! airtable.com/app4h5wUssMG... #standupforscience2025

Scientists, we need your stories! Post a 2-minute video on whatever social media apps you use. Show us your empty labs, tell us about the grant you are waiting for, and talk about why you do what you do. Tag @c4lifesciences.bsky.social and #Cuts2Science Tag your Members of Congress!

democrats-science.house.gov/sciencefirings 🧪

Today, along with 2,000 other NIH employees, I had to clear out my office 😭 It was truly the honor of my life to work with such incredibly passionate people focused on improving human health. I’ve never experienced a more positive culture where *everyone* cared about their job and serving others.

Here we provide evidence of henipaviruses in North America with the discovery of Camp hill virus in the Northern Short-Tailed Shrew, Alabama. Early release article available from EID wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/... #virology

This account is for sharing info with US scientists, both extramural and intramural to NIH, about attacks on science in the US. Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪 We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.