Science Behind Failure to Recover from Infections
to
Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D.
Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Dermatology and of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)
Yale University School of Medicine
Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D., is Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and Director of the Center for Infection and Immunity. A leading immunologist, her research has transformed understanding of immune defense against viruses at mucosal surfaces and the mechanisms underlying respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and long COVID. Dr. Iwasaki’s work integrates fundamental immunology with studies to uncover protective and pathogenic immune responses. Elected to the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, she is recognized for advancing antiviral immunity, vaccine science, and research on post-viral disease.
Summary
Historical records document chronic illnesses following infection, especially after major pandemics. Despite this, the disease mechanisms underlying post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS) remain poorly understood. In my lecture, I will offer a brief historical overview of PAIS. I will discuss potential root causes - including persistent virus, reactivation of latent herpesviruses, unresolved inflammation, and autoimmunity -and present evidence from our studies and those of others for each. I will highlight the need to integrate deep immune profiling with randomized clinical trials to identify and target the fundamental drivers of disease.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the presence and prevalence of post-acute infection syndromes.
- Consider the possible root causes of PAIS and the pathophysiology underlying the symptoms.
- Appreciate the great need to develop reliable biomarkers, diagnostics, and therapeutics that target the causes of disease.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, August 26, 2026