David A. Fidock, PhD

  • Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)
  • CS Hamish Young Professor of Immunology (in Microbiology and Immunology)

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David A. Fidock, PhD, is the CS Hamish Young Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Professor of Medical Sciences (in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine) at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. He is also the founding Director of the Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance. He completed his undergraduate degree in genetics at the University of Adelaide in South Australia and his PhD in microbiology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, where he was earlier awarded the Emile Roux Fellowship. He pursued postdoctoral research at UC Irvine (lab of Anthony James) and the NIH (lab of Tom Wellems). He began his faculty position at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine before moving to Columbia University in 2007.

In 2014, he was awarded the Bailey K. Ashford Medal for distinguished work in tropical medicine from the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH), and in 2016, he received the ASTMH Trager Medal for transformative research in molecular parasitology. In 2016, he was named Global Australian of the Year Award in Life Sciences, presented in Sydney by the then Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull. In 2020, he was awarded the MMV Project of the Year. In 2023, he was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Since November 2024, he has been serving as the President of the ASTMH. In April 2025 he was awarded the Alice and CC Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Academic Appointments

  • Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)
  • CS Hamish Young Professor of Immunology (in Microbiology and Immunology)

Administrative Titles

  • Founding Director, Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance

Languages

  • English
  • French

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • BSc, MSc, PhD, 1986 Genetics and Mathematics, Adelaide University, South Australia
  • PhD, 1994 Malaria Research, Pasteur Institute (Institut Pasteur)

Committees, Societies, Councils

  • 2003 - Present: Grant Reviewer including for the NIH, US Department of Defense, Wellcome Trust, UK Medical Research Council, “Agence Nationale de Recherche” (France), European Research Council, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (Japan), Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (Germany), and The National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia)
  • 2008 - 2018: Director of Graduate Admissions, Columbia University Graduate Training Program in Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection
  • 2013 - 2017: Member, NIH/NIAID study section on Drug Discovery and Resistance (DDR)
  • 2013 - 2022: Program Director, NIH T32 (AI106711)-funded Columbia University Graduate Training Program in Microbiology, Immunology and Infection
  • 2015-2019: Nationally Elected Board Member, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)
  • 2021 - Present: Member, Novartis Malaria Advisory Board
  • 2022: Lead Organizer, Keystone Symposium on Malaria, Breckenridge, CO (April 10-13)
  • 2022 - Present: Member, Malaria Policy Advisory Group, World Health Organization
  • 2022 - 2024: Chair, Columbia University Irving Medical Center Committee on Appointments and Promotions (Member since 2016)
  • 2023 - present: Member, Dean’s Scientific Research Committee, Columbia Irving Medical Center
  • 2024 - present: President, ASTMH

Editorial Boards

  • 2007 - Present: Member of the Editorial Boards for PLoS Pathogens, ACS Infectious Diseases

Honors & Awards

  • 1994: PhD Graduate Summa cum Laude University Paris VII/Pasteur Institute, Paris
  • 2001: New Initiatives in Malaria Research, Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  • 2001: Speaker’s Fund in Biomedical Research, New York Academy of Medicine
  • 2001: New Scholar in Global Infectious Disease, Ellison Medical Foundation
  • 2004: Investigator in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease, Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  • 2014: Recipient of the Bailey K. Ashford Medal, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
  • 2016: Advance Global Australian of the Year in Life Sciences
  • 2016: Fellow, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
  • 2016: Advance Global Australian of the Year Award in Life Sciences - Presented in Sydney by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Prime Minister
  • 2017: CS Hamish Young Endowed Professorship awarded by Columbia University
  • 2020: Recipient, William Trager Medal for transformative research in molecular parasitology, ASTMH
  • 2020: Winner, Project of the Year, Medicines for Malaria Venture (Geneva)
  • 2023: Elected Member, American Academy of Microbiology
  • 2024: President, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)
  • 2025: Winner, Alice and CC Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology, American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Research

Dr. Fidock's research focuses on the genetic and molecular basis of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to first-line antimalarial drugs. He also investigates resistance risks and modes of action of compounds in the drug discovery and development pipeline. His team works closely with multiple academic and pharmaceutical groups across the globe, including the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), and multiple pharmaceutical and academic partners. His work is funded by the NIH, the Department of Defense, MMV, and the Gates Foundation. He heads the antimalarial resistance subgroup of the Malaria Policy Advisory Group that advises the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Grants

Active

  • R37 - Principal Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Defining the Role of PfCRT and PfMDR1 as Pleiotropic Mediators of Plasmodium falciparum Multidrug Resistance
  • R01 - Principal Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Elucidating the Molecular Basis of Piperaquine Resistance and the Role of Altered Hemoglobin Metabolism in Plasmodium falciparum
  • R01 - Principal Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Defining P. falciparum Resistance to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies
  • R01 - Principal Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Elucidating the Molecular Basis of Piperaquine Resistance and the Role of Altered Hemoglobin Metabolism in Plasmodium falciparum
  • R01 - Multi-Principal Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Leveraging PfCRT Structure to Discern Function and Predict Emergence of Drug-Resistant Malaria
  • PR210545 - Principal Investigator - US Department of Defense
    Targeting the Plasmodium Proteasome for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Drug-Resistant Malaria in U.S. Military Personnel
  • MMV08/0015 - Principal Investigator - Medicines for Malaria Venture
    Elucidation of Genetic Markers to Detect P. falciparum Resistance to MMV-Supported Antimalarials
  • R01 - Co-Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Defining the Resistome in P. falciparum: Evolution and Mechanism
  • R01 - Co-Investigator - NIH/NIAID
    Function of Antimalarial Drug Resistance Proteins
  • OPP1054480 - Co-Investigator - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
    Target Discovery for Antimalarials

Selected Publications

  1. Okombo J & Fidock DA (2024). Towards next-generation treatment options to combat Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Nature Rev Microbiol 23: 178-191. PMID: 39367132.
  2. Luth MR, Godinez-Macias KP, Chen D, Okombo J, Thathy V, Cheng X, Daggupati S, Davies H, Dhingra SK, Economy JM, Edgar RCS, Gomez-Lorenzo MG, Istvan ES, Jado JC, LaMonte GM, Melillo B, Mok S, Narwal SK, Ndiaye T, Ottilie S, Palomo Diaz S, Park H, Peña S, Rocamora F, Sakata-Kato T, Small-Saunders JL, Summers RL, Tumwebaze PK, Vanaerschot M, Xia G, Yeo T, You A, Gamo FJ, Goldberg DE, Lee MCS, McNamara CW, Ndiaye D, Rosenthal PJ, Schreiber SL, Serra G, De Siqueira-Neto JL, Skinner-Adams TS, Uhlemann AC, Kato N, Lukens AK, Wirth DF, Fidock DA & Winzeler EA (2024). Systematic in vitro evolution in Plasmodium falciparum reveals key determinants of drug resistance. Science 386: eadk9893. PMID: 39607932.
  3. Small-Saunders JL, Sinha A, Bloxham TS, Hagenah LM, Sun G, Preiser PR, Dedon PC & Fidock DA (2024). tRNA modification reprogramming contributes to artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. Nature Microbiol 9: 1483-98. PMID: 38632343.
  4. Mok S, Yeo T, Hong D, Shears MJ, Ross LS, Ward KE, Dhingra SK, Kanai M, Bridgford JL, Tripathi AK, Mlambo G, Burkhard AY, Ansbro MR, Fairhurst KJ, Gil-Iturbe E, Park H, Rozenberg FD, Kim J, Mancia F, Fairhurst RM, Quick M, Uhlemann AC, Sinnis P & Fidock DA (2023). Mapping the genomic landscape of multidrug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and its impact on parasite fitness. Science Advances 9: eadi2364. PMID: 37939186.
  5. Deni I, Stokes BH, Ward KE, Fairhurst KJ, Pasaje CFA, Yeo T, Akbar S, Park H, Muir R, Bick DS, Zhan W, Zhang H, Liu YJ, Ng CL, Kirkman LA, Almaliti J, Gould AE, Duffey M, O'Donoghue AJ, Uhlemann AC, Niles JC, da Fonseca PCA, Gerwick WH, Lin G, Bogyo M & Fidock DA (2023). Mitigating the risk of antimalarial resistance via covalent dual-subunit inhibition of the Plasmodium proteasome. Cell Chem Biol 30: 470-485.e6. PMID: 36963402.
  6. Mihreteab S, Platon L, Berhane A, Stokes BH, Warsame M, Campagne P, Criscuolo A, Ma L, Petiot N, Doderer-Lang C, Legrand E, Ward KE, Zehaie Kassahun A, Ringwald P, Fidock DA & Menard D (2023). Increasing prevalence of artemisinin-resistant HRP2-negative malaria in Eritrea. N Engl J Med 389: 1191-202. PMC10539021.
  7. Murithi JM, Pascal C, Bath J, Boulenc X, Gnadig NF, Pasaje CFA, Rubiano K, Yeo T, Mok S, Klieber S, Desert P, Jimenez-Diaz MB, Marfurt J, Rouillier M, Cherkaoui-Rbati MH, Gobeau N, Wittlin S, Uhlemann AC, Price RN, Wirjanata G, Noviyanti R, Tumwebaze P, Cooper RA, Rosenthal PJ, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Joseph J, Singh S, Bashyam S, Augereau JM, Giraud E, Bozec T, Vermat T, Tuffal G, Guillon JM, Menegotto J, Salle L, Louit G, Cabanis MJ, Nicolas MF, Doubovetzky M, Merino R, Bessila N, Angulo-Barturen I, Baud D, Bebrevska L, Escudie F, Niles JC, Blasco B, Campbell S, Courtemanche G, Fraisse L, Pellet A, Fidock DA* & Leroy D* (2021). The antimalarial MMV688533 provides potential for single-dose cures with a high barrier to Plasmodium falciparum parasite resistance. Science Transl Med 13: eabg6013. PMC8530196. *Co-corresponding.
  8. Stokes BH, Dhingra SK, Rubiano K, Mok S, Straimer J, Gnadig NF, Deni I, Schindler KA, Bath JR, Ward KE, Striepen J, Yeo T, Ross LS, Legrand E, Ariey F, Cunningham CH, Souleymane IM, Gansane A, Nzoumbou-Boko R, Ndayikunda C, Kabanywanyi AM, Uwimana A, Smith SJ, Kolley O, Ndounga M, Warsame M, Leang R, Nosten F, Anderson TJ, Rosenthal PJ, Menard D & Fidock DA (2021). Plasmodium falciparum K13 mutations in Africa and Asia impact artemisinin resistance and parasite fitness. Elife 10: e66277. PMC8321553.
  9. Kim J, Tan YZ, Wicht KJ, Erramilli SK, Dhingra SK, Okombo J, Vendome J, Hagenah LM, Giacometti SI, Warren AL, Nosol K, Roepe PD, Potter CS, Carragher B, Kossiakoff AA, Quick M*, Fidock DA* & Mancia F* (2019). Structure and drug resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum transporter PfCRT. Nature 576: 315-20. PMC691126. *Co-corresponding.

For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov

Global Health Activities

  • Malaria Chemotherapeutics
  • Drug Resistance