Muhammad Yasir Khan

Muhammad Yasir Khan, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University. His research focuses on viral immunology, host–pathogen interactions, vaccine development, and immune-based interventions against infectious diseases of veterinary and public health importance.
Dr. Khan's previous research focused on human viral diseases, including the development and preclinical evaluation of vaccine candidates against emerging coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV, as well as HIV vaccine research. These studies provided him with experience in vaccinology, antiviral immunity, molecular virology, and mechanisms of viral infection.
Currently, his research focuses on understanding host immune responses during bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) infection and evaluating immunomodulatory drugs as potential therapeutic strategies to regulate virus-induced inflammation and enhance antiviral defense mechanisms. His work aims to better understand the interactions between viral infection and the host immune system and to identify novel approaches for controlling important viral diseases in livestock.
By integrating expertise from human and veterinary virology, he aims to understanding infectious diseases across species and developing innovative vaccines and therapeutic strategies to improve animal health, public health, and global disease preparedness.