Georgia State University welcomes renowned immunologist and researcher Dr. Liang Qiao

ATLANTA — Internationally recognized immunologist Dr. Liang Qiao has been appointed as a Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Biomedical Science at Georgia State University. Qiao will join the Institute for Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) as a tenured professor and director of the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis starting April 1.

As part of his new role, Qiao will help shape IBMS’ expanding research enterprise and strengthen Georgia State’s position as a leader in biomedical discovery.

“Dr. Qiao’s appointment reinforces Georgia State’s commitment to advancing innovative biomedical research that expands scientific knowledge and improves human health,” said Donald Hamelberg (Ph.D. '01), vice president for Research and Economic Development. “We’re excited to welcome him to Atlanta and look forward to the impact he’ll bring to Georgia State and beyond.”

Qiao has built a widely respected research program focused on major public health challenges, including HIV, Dengue/Zika and SARS-CoV-2.

He also studies how inflammation develops at the cellular level, work that helps connect basic immunology to new treatments. His research is designed to move discoveries out of the lab and into real‑world solutions as quickly as possible, a mission that reinforces the GRA’s focus on driving biomedical innovation and supporting Georgia’s growing life sciences ecosystem.

“Liang Qiao reflects the consistently high caliber and reputation of GRA Eminent Scholars,” said Tim Denning, GRA’s president and CEO. “He has created new types of vaccines, found new ways to fight inflammation and broken new ground in understanding how the body’s immune system works. Importantly, many of Dr. Qiao’s discoveries have great potential for advancing toward the clinic to treat people and save lives.”

Qiao has developed multiple patented or patent‑pending biomedical innovations, including a novel mucosal vaccine delivery system, first-in-class cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)–only vaccine strategies and a probiotic metabolite therapeutic designed for anti-inflammatory intervention.

These discoveries underscore his ability to generate opportunities for intellectual property development, biotech partnerships and clinical advancement. His scholarship also appears in leading journals such as Nature Communications, Immunity, Cell Reports, Cancer Research and Gastroenterology, reflecting sustained contributions to high-impact biomedical science.

“Adding Dr. Qiao to our faculty deepens Georgia State’s capacity to lead in infectious disease and immunology,” said Dr. Jian-Dong Li, director of the Institute for Biomedical Sciences and a GRA Eminent Scholar in Inflammation and Immunity.  “His scholarship and vision will help propel IBMS forward and strengthen the university’s role as a hub for biomedical innovation.”

Qiao joins Georgia State after more than three decades of research and faculty leadership at Loyola University Chicago.

The Georgia Research Alliance is a public-private partnership that supports the recruitment of outstanding scientists to Georgia universities, stimulating new discoveries and economic growth since 1990.

For more information about Georgia State University research and its impact, visit research.gsu.edu.