Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
Contact Information
Email:Biosketch
Rupert Vessey graduated from Oxford University with degrees in Physiological Sciences (MA, First Class Honors) and Clinical Medicine (BM, BCh, proxime accessit). He subsequently undertook clinical training at several notable institutions in the UK including the Hammersmith Hospital at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London and the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. During this time, he became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London UK. Rupert undertook basic research training at the Hammersmith Hospital and at the Institute for Molecular Medicine, Oxford where he completed a DPhil in Molecular Immunology. During his research period he was a Junior Research Fellow of Merton College, Oxford and a training fellow of the UK Medical Research Council. In 2012 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London and in 2019 he was appointed visiting Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Oxford. Rupert joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1997 and has worked in the UK and USA. During 10 years at Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) Rupert benefitted from diverse experiences including a period working on the clinical development of varicella vaccines. Since 2006 Rupert held multiple roles in senior scientific management at Merck. In 2015 Rupert joined Celgene as Senior Vice President of Translational Development and Head of the Immunology and Inflammation Thematic Center of Excellence and in 2016 he assumed the role of Executive Vice President and President of Global Research and Early Development. In July of 2023 Rupert retired from his role at BMS and joined Flagship Pioneering as an Executive Partner and Chief Scientist.
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Education and Training
- PhD 1997, Oxford University Medical School
- MRCP(UK) 1992, Internal Medicine, Oxford University Medical School
- MA 1991, Oxford University Medical School
- BMBCh 1989, Oxford University Medical School
- BA 1986, Oxford University Medical School
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Research
- Molecular Immunology and Structure
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Publications
Hao K., Bossé Y., Nickle D., Paré P., Postma D., Laviolette M., Sandford A., Hackett T., Daley D., Hogg J., Elliott W., Couture C., Lamontagne M., Brandsma C., van den Berge M., Koppelman G., Reicin A., Nicholson D., Malkov V., Derry J., Suver C., Tsou J., Kulkarni A., Zhang C., Vessey R., Opiteck G., Curtis S., Timens W., Sin D. Lung eQTLs to Help Reveal the Molecular Underpinnings of Asthma PLoS Genetics. 2012;8
Vermeulen J.N., Lange J.M.A., Tyring S.K., Peters P.H., Nunez M., Poland G., Levin M.J., Freeman C., Chalikonda I., Li J., Smith J.G., Caulfield M.J., Stek J.E., Chan I.S.F., Vessey R., Schödel F.P., Annunziato P.W., Schlienger K., Silber J.L. Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity after 1 and 2 doses of zoster vaccine in healthy adults ≥60 years of age Vaccine. 2012;30:904-910.
Weinberg A., Lazar A.A., Zerbe G.O., Hayward A.R., Chan I.S.F., Vessey R., Silber J.L., MacGregor R.R., Chan K., Gershon A.A., Levin M.J. Influence of age and nature of primary infection on varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immune responses Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2010;201:1024-1030.
Loboda A., Nebozhyn M., Cheng C., Vessey R., Huang P., Dai H., Watters J. Biomarker discovery: Identification of a growth factor gene signature Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2009;86:92-96.
Man S.f.P., Zhang X., Vessey R., Walker T., Lee K., Park D., Sin D.D. The effects of inhaled and oral corticosteroids on serum inflammatory biomarkers in COPD: An exploratory study Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. 2009;3:73-80.
Borrill Z.L., Roy K., Vessey R.S., Woodcock A.A., Singha D. Non-invasive biomarkers and pulmonary function in smokers International Journal of COPD. 2008;3:171-183.
Herman G., Vessey R., Hargreaves R. Finding the right sign posts Reading for the R and D Community. 2008;50:14.
Man S.F.P., Xing L., Connett J.E., Anthonisen N.R., Wise R.A., Tashkin D.P., Zhang X., Vessey R., Walker T.G., Celli B.R., Sin D.D. Circulating fibronectin to C-reactive protein ratio and mortality: A biomarker in COPD? European Respiratory Journal. 2008;32:1451-1457.
Pauwels R., Joos G., Fogarty C., Faiferman I., Hirschberg S., Vessey R., Wouters E. Bronchodilating effect of combined therapy with ipratropium bromide and ondansetron in patients with COPD Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2008;21:385-392.
Nicholson G.C., Tennant R.C., Carpenter D.C., Sarau H.M., Kon O.M., Barnes P.J., Salmon M., Vessey R.S., Tal-Singer R., Hansel T.T. A novel flow cytometric assay of human whole blood neutrophil and monocyte CD11b levels: Upregulation by chemokines is related to receptor expression, comparison with neutrophil shape change, and effects of a chemokine receptor (CXCR2) antagonist Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2007;20:52-59.
Patterson-Bartlett J., Levin M.J., Lang N., Schödel F.P., Vessey R., Weinberg A. Phenotypic and functional characterization of ex vivo T cell responses to the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine Vaccine. 2007;25:7087-7093.
Pinto-Plata V., Toso J., Lee K., Park D., Bilello J., Mullerova H., De Souza M.M., Vessey R., Celli B.R. Profiling serum biomarkers in patients with COPD: Associations with clinical parameters Thorax. 2007;62:595-601.
Diaz C., Dentico P., Gonzalez R., Mendez R.G., Cinquetti S., Barben J.L., Harmon A., Chalikonda I., Smith J.G., Stek J.E., Robertson A., Caulfield M.J., Biasio L.R., Silber J.L., Chan C.Y., Vessey R., Sadoff J., Chan I.S.F., Matthews H., Wang W., Schlienger K., Schödel F.P. Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a two-dose regimen of high-titer varicella vaccine in subjects ≥13 years of age Vaccine. 2006;24:6875-6885.
Hurst J., Donaldson G., Perera W., Wilkinson T., Bilello J., Hagan G., Vessey R., Wedzicha J. Use of plasma biomarkers at exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2006;174:867-874.
Pinto-Plata V., Toso J., Lee K., Bilello J., Mullerova H., De Souza M., Vessey R., Celli B. Use of proteomic patterns of serum biomarkers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Correlation with clinical parameters Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. 2006;3:465-466.
Pinto-Plata V.M., Müllerova H., Toso J.F., Feudjo-Tepie M., Soriano J.B., Vessey R.S., Celli B.R. C-reactive protein in patients with COPD, control smokers and non-smokers Thorax. 2006;61:23-28.
Singh D., Tal-Singer R., Faiferman I., Lasenby S., Henderson A., Wessels D., Goosen A., Dallow N., Vessey R., Goldman M. Plethysmography and impulse oscillometry assessment of tiotropium and ipratropium bromide; a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in healthy subjects British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2006;61:398-404.
Holz O., Tal-Singer R., Kanniess F., Simpson K.J., Gibson A., Vessey R.S.J., Janicki S., Magnussen H., Jörres R.A., Richter K. Validation of the human ozone challenge model as a tool for assessing anti-inflammatory drugs in early development Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2005;45:498-503.
Levin M.J., Smith J.G., Kaufhold R.M., Barber D., Hayward A.R., Chan C.Y., Chan I.S.F., Li D.J.J., Wang W., Keller P.M., Shaw A., Silber J.L., Schlienger K., Chalikonda I., Vessey S.J.R., Caulfield M.J. Decline in Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity with Increasing Age and Boosting with a High-Dose VZV Vaccine Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2003;188(9):1336-1344.
Smith J.G., Levin M., Vessey R., Chan I.S.F., Hayward A.R., Liu X., Kaufhold R.M., Clair J., Chalikonda I., Chan C., Bernard M., Wang W.W., Keller P., Caulfield M.J. Measurement of cell-mediated immunity with a varicella-zoster virus-specific interferon-γ ELISPOT assay: Responses in an elderly population receiving a booster immunization Journal of Medical Virology. 2003;70
Tussey L.G., Nair U.S., Bachinsky M., Edwards B.H., Bakari J., Grimm K., Joyce J., Vessey R., Steigbigel R., Robertson M.N., Shiver J.W., Goepfert P.A. Antigen burden is a major determinant of human immunodeficiency virus-specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell maturation state: Potential implications for therapeutic immunization Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2003;187:364-374.
Chan I., Li S., Matthews H., Chan C., Vessey R., Sadoff J., Heyse J. Use of statistical models for evaluating antibody response as a correlate of protection against varicella Statistics in Medicine. 2002;21:3411-3430.
Lau Y., Vessey S., Chan I., Lee T., Huang L., Lee C., Lin T., Lee B., Kwan K., Kasim S., Chan C., Kaplan K., Distefano D., Harmon A., Golie A., Hartzel J., Xu J., Li S., Matthews H., Sadoff J., Shaw A. A comparison of safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of Oka/Merck varicella vaccine and VARILRIX™ in healthy children Vaccine. 2002;20(23-24):2942-2949.
Li S., Chan I.S.F., Matthews H., Heyse J.F., Chan C.Y., Kuter B.J., Kaplan K.M., Vessey S.J.R., Sadoff J.C. Inverse relationship between six week postvaccination varicella antibody response to vaccine and likelihood of long term breakthrough infection Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2002;21(4):337-342.
Shinefield H., Black S., Staehle B., Matthews H., Adelman T., Ensor K., Chan IV S., Heyse J., Waters M., Chan C., Vessey S., Kaplan K., Kuter B. Vaccination with measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and varicella vaccine: Safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, persistence of antibody and duration of protection against varicella in healthy children Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2002;21(6):555-561.
Vessey S.J.R., Chan C.Y., Kuter B.J., Kaplan K.M., Waters M., Kutzler D.P., Carfagno P.A., Sadoff J.C., Heyse J.F., Matthews H., Li S., Chan I.S.F. Childhood vaccination against varicella: Persistence of antibody, duration of protection, and vaccine efficacy Journal of Pediatrics. 2001;139(2):297-304.
Roy M.J., Wu M.S., Barr L.J., Fuller J.T., Tussey L.G., Speller S., Culp J., Burkholder J.K., Swain W.F., Dixon R.M., Widera G., Vessey R., King A., Ogg G., Gallimore A., Haynes J.R., Heydenburg Fuller D. Induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, T helper cells, and protective levels of antibody in humans by particle-mediated administration of a hepatitis B virus DNA vaccine Vaccine. 2000;19:764-778.
Swain W.E., Heydenburg Fuller D., Wu M.S., Barr L.J., Fuller J.T., Culp J., Burkholder J., Dixon R.M., Widera G., Vessey R., Roy M.J. Tolerability and immune responses in humans to a PowderJect DNA vaccine for hepatitis B. Developments in biologicals. 2000;104:115-119.
Tussey L., Speller S., Gallimore A., Vessey R. Functionally distinct CD8<sup>+</sup> memory T cell subsets in persistent EBV infection are differentiated by migratory receptor expression European Journal of Immunology. 2000;30:1823-1829.