Amy Jacobs PhD
Amy Jacobs
PhD
Research Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Microbial Pathogenesis; Microbiology; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Protein Function and Structure; Viral Pathogenesis; Virology
Professional Summary:
Amy Jacobs is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of the Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Program at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She is devoted to advancing the Jacobs School’s educational mission through innovative teaching, curriculum development, and mentorship. With more than fifteen years of experience across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, she has been a pioneer in online education at JSMBS and continues to lead efforts that integrate active learning and inclusive pedagogy into diverse course formats.
Her educational research examines active learning, competency-based curriculum design, and direct comparisons of online and in-person instruction to strengthen evidence-based teaching practices. She also plays a central role in curriculum reform, helping to redesign the Biomedical Sciences program and contributing to graduate and professional program development.
Dr. Jacobs is equally committed to mentorship, having guided trainees at all levels and fostering supportive, inclusive environments for student success. Beyond UB, she contributes to the broader biomedical community through NIH grant review service and editorial work for biomedical science journals.
Her scientific research expertise centers on viral entry and membrane fusion, structural virology, and the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors targeting enveloped viruses such as HIV, Ebola, Zika, and SARS-CoV-2. She is also an expert in high containment biological research regulation and practice.
Education and Training:
- PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago (2000)
- BA, Comparative Literature and Italian, University of Iowa (1992)
Employment:
- Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Program Director, Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (2025-present)
- Director of Undergraduate Studies, Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (2016-present)
- BSL-3 Laboratory Director, University at Buffalo
- Clinical Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2008-present)
- Post Doctoral Fellow, Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program, National Cancer Institute National Institutes of Health (2004–2008)
Awards and Honors:
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Inaugural Excellence in Teaching Award (2025)
- H. Brody/Medical Emeritus Society Award for Clinical/Translational Research (2010)
- National Cancer Institute Director's Intramural Innovation Award (2007)
- Award for Excellence in Research, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (2002)
- Provost's Award for Graduate Research, Univ. of Il at Chicago (2001)
- National Science Foundation (2001)
- National Study Abroad Scholarship, Italian Government (1990)
- Eva M. Byerly Scholarship (1989)
Research Expertise:
- Microbial pathogenesis
- Molecular virology: molecular and cellular biology of HIV entry, development of inhibitors of HIV entry, biophysics of viral membrane fusion
- Viral pathogenesis: secondary opportunistic infections, co-pathogenesis of HIV and C. neoformans, viral mimicry
Research Centers:
- Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology
UB 2020 Strategic Strengths:
- Integrated Nanostructured Systems
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- September 2021–July 2023
Avida Biotech, S.L.
Role: Principal Investigator
$100,000 - September 2021–July 2023
Risk Stratification of COVID-19 Vaccinated Individuals based on Antibody Levels
UB CAT
Role: Principal Investigator
$170,000 - December 2020–March 2021
Efficacy of novel technology to prevent the transmissibility, viability, and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2
Shreis Scalene Therapeutics
Role: Principal Investigator - March 2020–December 2020
Computational Drug Design Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein
SUNY Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED)
Role: Principal Investigator - November 2016–December 2020
Modeling AIDS-Associated Opportunistic Infections in Humanized Mice
Office of the President
Role: Principal Investigator - June 2016–July 2020
Structure-based Design of Zika Virus Inhibitors Targeting Envelope Glycoprotein (E)
NIAID
Role: Co-Principal Investigator - January 2016–December 2018
Generating Neutralizing gp41 MPER Antibodies
NIAID
Role: Co-Investigator - February 2015–January 2017
Computationally designed probes to experimentally characterize mechanisms of Ebola virus membrane fusion
NSF
Role: Co-Principal Investigator - March 2011–February 2016
Cell free synthesis of HIV envelope complex
Skarlow Foundation Memorial Award for Research in Incurable Diseases
Role: Principal Investigator - September 2013–August 2015
Molecular details of HIV fusion revealed through novel gp41 labeling
NIAID
Role: Principal Investigator - November 2015
HIV Inhibitor Development
Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo
Role: Principal Investigator
Journal Articles:
- Chowdhury, S.H., Riley, S., Mikolajczyk, R., Smith, L., Suresh, L., Jacobs, A. (2023) Correlation of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization with Antibody Levels in Vaccinated Individuals. Viruses (Mar), 3(15): 793.
- Shao S, Geng J, Ah Yi H, Gogia S, Neelamegham S, Jacobs A, Lovell JF. (2015) Functionalization of cobalt porphyrin-phospholipid bilayers with his-tagged ligands and antigens. Nat Chem (May), 7(5): 438-446.
- Kalem, M.C., Humby, M.S., Wohlfert, E.A., Jacobs, A., Panepinto, J.C. (2022) Cryptococcus neoformans Coinfection Dampens the TNF-alpha Response in HIV-1-Infected Human THP-1 Macrophages. mSphere (Jan), 2(6): e00213-21. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00213-21
- Telehany SM, Humby MS, McGee TD, Riley SP, Rizzo, C, Jacobs, A. (2020) Identification of Zika Virus Inhibitors Using Homology Modeling and Similarity-Based Screening to Target Glycoprotein E. Biochemistry (Oct), 59(39): 3709-3724. doi:10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00458
- Singleton CD, Humby MS, Yi HA, Rizzo RC, Jacobs A. (2019) Identification of Ebola Virus Inhibitors Targeting GP2 Using Principles of Molecular Mimicry. Journal of virology (Aug), 93(15). doi:10.1128/JVI.00676-19
- McGee TD, Yi HA, Allen WJ, Jacobs A, Rizzo RC. (2017) Structure-based identification of inhibitors targeting obstruction of the HIVgp41 N-heptad repeat trimer. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters (Jul), 27(14): 3177-3184. doi:10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.05.020
- Yi HA, Fochtman BC, Rizzo RC, Jacobs A. (2016) Inhibition of HIV Entry by Targeting the Envelope Transmembrane Subunit gp41. Current HIV research (Jan), 14(3): 283-94.
- Allen WJ, Yi HA, Gochin M, Jacobs A, Rizzo RC. (2015) Small molecule inhibitors of HIVgp41 N-heptad repeat trimer formation. Bioorg Med Chem Lett (Jul), 25(14): 2853-2859.
- Yi HA, Diaz-Rohrer B, Saminathan P, Jacobs A. (2015) The membrane proximal external regions of gp41 from HIV-1 strains HXB2 and JRFL have different sensitivities to alanine mutation. Biochemistry (Mar), 54(8): 1681-1693.
- Reingewertz TH, Britan-Rosich E, Rotem-Bamberger S, Viard M, Jacobs A, Miller A, Lee JY, Hwang J, Blumenthal R, Kotler M, Friedler A. (2013) Mapping the Vif-A3G interaction using peptide arrays: a basis for anti-HIV lead peptides. Bioorg Med Chem (Jun), 21(12): 3523-3532.
- Diaz-Aguilar B, Dewispelaere K, Yi HA, Jacobs A. (2013) Significant differences in cell-cell fusion and viral entry between strains revealed by scanning mutagenesis of the C-heptad repeat of HIV gp41. Biochemistry (May), 52(20): 3552-3563.
- Yi HA, Panepinto JC, Jacobs A. (2012) Inhibition of HIV entry by extracellular glucuronoxylomannan of Cryptococcus neoformans. Microb Pathog (Jan), 52(1): 25-30.
- Fowler ZL, Shah K, Panepinto JC, Jacobs A, Koffas MA. (2011) Development of non-natural flavanones as antimicrobial agents. PLoS One (Oct), 6(10): 25681-25681.
- Garg H, Viard M, Jacobs A, Blumenthal R. (2011) Targeting HIV-1 gp41-induced Fusion and Pathogenesis for Anti-viral Therapy. Curr Top Med Chem (Oct).
- Yi HA, Diaz-Aguilar B, Bridon D, Quraishi O, Jacobs A. (2011) Permanent inhibition of viral entry by covalent entrapment of HIV gp41 on the virus surface. Biochemistry (Aug), 50(32): 6966-6972.
- Huang K, Jacobs A, Rzayev J. (2011) De Novo Synthesis and Cellular Uptake of Organic Nanocapsules with Tunable Surface Chemistry. Biomacromolecules (May).
- Zielinski R, Lyakhov I, Jacobs A, Chertov O, Kramer-Marek G, Francella N, Stephen A, Fisher R, Blumenthal R, Capala J. (2009) Affitoxin--a novel recombinant, HER2-specific, anticancer agent for targeted therapy of HER2-positive tumors. J Immunother (Oct), 32(8): 817-825.
- Jacobs A, Blumenthal B. (2009) Understanding the design principles of living systems at the nanoscale. Current Nanoscience (Feb), 5(1): 45-50.
- Sen J, Jacobs A, Caffrey M. (2008) Role of the HIV gp120 conserved domain 5 in processing and viral entry. Biochemistry (Jul), 47(30): 7788-7795.
- Jacobs A, Garg H, Viard M, Raviv Y, Puri A, Blumenthal R. (2008) HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-mediated fusion and pathogenesis: implications for therapy and vaccine development. Vaccine (Jun), 26(24): 3026-3035.
- Jacobs A, Quraishi O, Huang X, Bousquet-Gagnon N, Nault G, Francella N, Alvord WG, Pham N, Soucy C, Robitaille M, Bridon D, Blumenthal R. (2007) A covalent inhibitor targeting an intermediate conformation of the fusogenic subunit of the HIV-1 envelope complex. J Biol Chem (Nov), 282(44): 32406-32413.
- Sen J, Jacobs A, Jiang H, Rong L, Caffrey M. (2007) The disulfide loop of gp41 is critical to the furin recognition site of HIV gp160. Protein Sci (Jun), 16(6): 1236-1241.
- Dimitrov AS, Jacobs A, Finnegan CM, Stiegler G, Katinger H, Blumenthal R. (2007) Exposure of the membrane-proximal external region of HIV-1 gp41 in the course of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-mediated fusion. Biochemistry (Feb), 46(5): 1398-1401.
- Jacobs A, Simon C, Caffrey M. (2006) Thermostability of the HIV gp41 wild-type and loop mutations. Protein Pept Lett (Jan), 13(5): 477-480.
- Jacobs A, Sen J, Rong L, Caffrey M. (2005) Alanine scanning mutants of the HIV gp41 loop. J Biol Chem (Jul), 280(29): 27284-27288.
- Jacobs A, Hartman K, Laue T, Caffrey M. (2004) Sedimentation velocity studies of the high-molecular weight aggregates of the HIV gp41 ectodomain. Protein Sci (Oct), 13(10): 2811-2813.
- Jiang S, Jacobs A, Laue TM, Caffrey M. (2004) Solution structure of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor domain 1. Biochemistry (Feb), 43(7): 1847-1853.
- Jiang S, Jacobs A, Laue TM, Caffrey M. (2004) Solution structure of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor domain 1. Biochemistry (Feb), 43(7): 1847-53.
- Guilhaudis L, Jacobs A, Caffrey M. (2002) Solution structure of the HIV gp120 C5 domain. Eur J Biochem (Oct), 269(19): 4860-4867.
- Hakansson S, Jacobs A, Caffrey M. (2001) Heparin binding by the HIV-1 tat protein transduction domain. Protein Science (Oct), 10(10): 2138-2139.
Professional Memberships:
- American Society for Virology (2018–present)
- American Chemical Society (2010–present)
- American Society for Nanomedicine (2009–present)
- Biophysical Society (2006–present)
- Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (2002–present)
Service Activities:
- Undergraduate Education Curriculum Committee (2023–present)
- Vaccine Outreach; Pandemic Preparedness; Presenter (2022–present)
- Faculty Council Steering Committee; Faculty Council Steering Committee (2022–present)
- Clinical Biosafety Services: ad hoc review committee member for regional businesses and not-for-profit organizations; Biosafety Expert (2022–present)
- BSL-3 Laboratory Director (2020–present)
- Academic Integrity Adjudication Hearing Committee (2020–present)
- Review manuscripts for Journal of Virology; Reviewer (2020–present)
- Grievance Committee (2019–present)
- Adjudication Committee for the Office of Vice Provost for Education Affairs (2018–present)
- Biosafety Committee (2014–present)
- CSMBS Standing Committee on Student Affairs and Academic Standing (2014–present)
- JSMBS Appeals Committee (2014–present)
- JSMBS Standing Committee for the Office of Vice Provost for Educational Affairs (2014–present)
- SMBS Appeals Committee; Committee Member (2014–present)
- Committee for Dual Use Research of Concern (2013–present)
- Director of Undergraduate Studies (2013–present)
- Undergraduate Curriculum Development Committee (2013–present)
- Relations with Industry Committee (2013–present)
- BSL-3 Laboratory Director; BSL-3 Laboratory Director (2013–present)
- Review Panel for FBI Personnel Suitability, Tier I Select Agent Program; Committee Member (2013–present)
- BSL-3 Operating Committee; BSL-3 Operating Committee (2009–present)