James R. Baker Jr, MD, is currently professor of medicine and division chief of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in the Department of Internal Medicine, professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Michigan and director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Science (M-NIMBS). Dr Baker’s research includes the application of nanomaterials to cellular engineering, targeted drug delivery and gene transfer. This research has led to two start-up biotechnology companies, NanoBio Corporation and Avidimer Therapeutics, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr Baker serves as chief scientific officer for both corporations. Dr Baker is recognized as an international leader in the fields of allergy and clinical immunology and biologic nanotechnology. In 2006 he began a five-year appointment as a director of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI).
Dr. Baker is the founding Director of the Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center and the Ruth Dow Doan Professor at Michigan Medicine. For 20 years, Dr. Baker was the chief of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the U-M. He is also a professor of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering and the Director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences. His prior accolades include the Distinguished University Innovator Award from the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research and the Damen Award for Distinguished alumnus from the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine.
Dr. Baker's research is in the area of immunology and host defense, evolving into nanomaterials and their applications in therapeutics. He has invented new forms of synthetic lipid and polymeric nanostructures, which have resulted in the development new approaches to vaccines. He has founded 4 companies and spent 2 years as SVP and worldwide Head of the Vaccine Franchise at Merck. For the past 5 years he was also the CEO and CMO of Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) the national food allergy foundation (www.foodallergy.org). His expertise spans the entire arc of therapeutic development from bench to commercial approval.
