Michael R. Yeaman, Ph.D.

Dr. Yeaman is Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine, Chief of the Division Molecular Medicine, and Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. His pioneering discoveries in the fields of infection and immunology have translated directly to the design and develop innovative anti-infective agents and strategies addressing the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections.  Among these, Dr. Yeaman discovered the gamma-core of host defense peptides that confer innate immunity.  He discovered structural homologies in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the fungus Candida albicans that enabled the first cross-kingdom vaccine targeting both organisms. Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of this vaccine have now been successfully completed. He and colleagues founded NovaDigm Therapeutics, Inc. to develop this and other innovative vaccines addressing healthcare-associated infections. Dr. Yeaman has published over 200 scholarly works, which appear in high impact journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature, and serves on editorial boards of leading journals.  Dr. Yeaman has maintained continuous NIH funding for over two decades, and is an NIH-appointed expert in infectious diseases and immunology. He holds 16 issued U.S. patents in anti-infectives and immunotherapeutics, and has received numerous research and teaching awards, including the Weitzman Memorial Research Award (Harbor-UCLA Medical Center), the Alexander Research Award (American Heart Association), and the National Research Service Award (NIH).  On a related note, Dr. Yeaman is a member of the American Society of Composers and Performers, and his original musical works have been acclaimed by the Los Angeles Times. His music is available on iTunes®, the Pandora® Music Genome, Amazon® and other leading digital storefronts. He is a pioneer in the use of music and art in medicine, focusing on therapeutic neuroplasticity.

Publications