Jeffrey N. Weiser MD, is a physician-scientist and the C.V. Starr Professor of Microbiology at New York University.

Since 1992, the Weiser laboratory has investigated the molecular basis of bacterial-host interactions, particularly for infections originating in the human respiratory tract.  Projects have encompassed many of the major etiologic agents of airway infection, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Staphylococcus aureus.  A particular area of emphasis is the biology of pneumococcal colonization (bacterial and host factors) – the initial event in pathogenesis and focus of selective pressure from the host.  A number of different requirements of colonization, such as mucosal immunity (innate and adaptive), bacterial adherence, epithelial cell responses, bacterial invasion, transmission, host age, and competitive/cooperative interactions within the species and with other agents, including influenza A virus, have been investigated using experimental human infection and animal models.

Studies on the biology of bacterial infection of the upper airways are documented in ~200 manuscripts. Technology from this lab for expression of S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide has been licensed for production of a vaccine approved in over 125 countries with more than 250 million doses administered.