David I. Bernstein, MD, MA
- Director, Gamble Program and VTEU
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- david.bernstein@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
As a researcher, I am interested in vaccines for common infections that have significant impact on human health. Most of the vaccines I study are related to herpes viruses, rotavirus, norovirus and influenza.
During my fellowship, I became interested in herpes viruses and vaccines. Upon arrival at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, I began investigating the immunobiology of genital herpes infections using animal models. During this time, I also became interested in rotavirus and, along with my colleague Dr. Richard Ward, I examined the epidemiology and immunology of rotavirus infections.
This work led to the development of a live attenuated human rotavirus vaccine, initially named 89-12. After further modification, this vaccine became the GlaxoSmithKline rotavirus vaccine Rotarix, now available in over 100 countries including the United States and the European Union.
Currently, I evaluate vaccines and antivirals for herpes simplex and cytomegalovirus in animals through our National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded contract and industry, as well as in clinical trials through our NIH-funded Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU) and industry. We also evaluate vaccines for influenza, avian influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), norovirus and COVID-19 through the VTEU.
As the former Albert Sabin Professor of pediatrics and former director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children’s, I have published over 300 manuscripts and book chapters on infectious diseases, vaccines and antivirals. The NIH has funded our VTEU site for over 25 years and our animal contract for close to 30 years.
For these accomplishments, I was honored to receive the Stanly Plotkin Award for vaccine research.
MA: Microbiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 1973.
MD: State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY, 1977.
Residency: Pediatrics, University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
Fellowship: Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
Certification: American Board of Medical Examiners, 1978; American Board of Pediatrics, 1981; Pediatrics, 1982.
Interests
Rotavirus; herpes simplex virus; cytomegalovirus; preclinical and clinical evaluations of vaccine; immune response to herpes virus
Services and Specialties
Interests
Evaluation of vaccines and antivirals for herpes and rotovirus; development of improved adjuvants and delivery systems for vaccines; treatment and prevention of influenza, norovirus and parvovirus infections
Research Areas
Publications
Safety and immunogenicity in humans of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli double mutant heat-labile toxin administered intradermally. npj Vaccines. 2025; 10:23.
Progress with COVID vaccine development and implementation. npj Vaccines. 2024; 9:69.
Human Cytomegalovirus mRNA-1647 Vaccine Candidate Elicits Potent and Broad Neutralization and Higher Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Responses Than the gB/MF59 Vaccine. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2024; 230:455-466.
Small Animal Models to Study Herpes Simplex Virus Infections. Viruses-Basel. 2024; 16:1037.
A chimeric haemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine boosts human cellular immune responses directed towards the conserved haemagglutinin stalk domain and the viral nucleoprotein. EBioMedicine. 2024; 104:105153.
Safety and Immunogenicity of a Delayed Heterologous Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Vaccine Boost Following Different Priming Regimens: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2024; 229:327-340.
Selection, activity, and nuclease stabilization of cross-neutralizing DNA aptamers targeting HSV-1 and HSV-2. Virology. 2024; 589:109916.
Safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of a replication-defective human cytomegalovirus vaccine, V160, in cytomegalovirus-seronegative women: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2023; 23:1383-1394.
Intermittent therapy with helicase-primase inhibitor IM-250 efficiently controls recurrent herpes disease and reduces reactivation of latent HSV. Antiviral Research. 2023; 219:105733.
A Multicenter, Controlled Human Infection Study of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Healthy Adults. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2023; 228:287-298.
From the Blog
Drug Candidate Shows ‘Potent Anti-Herpes Activity’
David I. Bernstein, MD, MA6/17/2021
Clinical Trial Results: Universal Flu Vax Candidate Reaches 18-Month Milestone
David I. Bernstein, MD, MA, Monica Malone McNeal, MS12/7/2020
‘R2’ Herpes Vaccine Shows Promise
David I. Bernstein, MD, MA11/9/2020
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