Academic Appointments
- Professor of Microbiology & Immunology
- Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)
Current Administrative Positions
- Director, Columbia University Graduate Program in Microbiology, Immunology and Infection

David A. Fidock is the C.S. Hamish Young Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine) at the Columbia University Medical Center. He received his B.Sc. (Maths) with Honors from Adelaide University in 1986 and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the Pasteur Institute in Paris in 1994. Following postdoctoral research at UC Irvine with Dr. Anthony James and the NIH with Dr. Thomas Wellems, he started his group at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York in 2000. He moved to Columbia University in 2007. His research program focuses primarily on the genetic and molecular basis of antimalarial drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and research intoantimalarials in development. He has authored 200 articles on malaria. In 2014 he received the Bailey K. Ashford Medal from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). In 2016 he was named the Advance Global Australian of the Year in Life Sciences and a Fellows of the ASTMH. His work is supported by the NIH, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the Medicines for Malaria Venture.
Departments and Divisions
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology
- Department of Medicine
Languages Spoken
- French
Education and Training
- BSc, MSc, PhD, 1986 Genetics and Mathematics, Adelaide & Meath Hospitals
- PhD, 1994 Malaria research, Pasteur Institute (Institut Pasteur)
Links
Contact Info
- 9146498784
- 9146322242
- (212) 305-0816
Past Positions
2000-07: Assistant and Associate Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx NY.
1996-99: Postdoctoral Scientist, National Institutes of Health, Washington DC.
1994-95: Postdoctoral Scientist, University of California at Irvine, CA.
1992-99: Tenured Scientist, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.
1989-94: Graduate Student, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.
1987-89: Research Assistant, Biotech Australia, Sydney, Australia.
Committees / Societies / Memberships
Board member, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2015-2019)
Global Health Countries
- Kenya
- South Africa
- Viet Nam
- Malawi
- Puerto Rico
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- Senegal
- French Guiana
- Mali
Global Health Activities
Malaria chemotherapeutics and drug resistance
Honors and Awards
1994: Ph.D. Graduate Summa cum Laude University Paris VII/Pasteur Institute, Paris
2001: New Initiatives in Malaria Research, Burroughs WellcomeFund
2001: Speaker’s Fund in Biomedical Research, New York Academy of Medicine
2001: New Scholar in Global Infectious Disease, Ellison Medical Foundation
2004: Investigator in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease, Burroughs Wellcome Fund
2014: Recipient of the Bailey K. Ashford Medal, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2016: Advance Global Australian of the Year in Life Sciences
2016: Fellow, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
NIH Grants
LEVERAGING PFCRT STRUCTURE TO DISCERN FUNCTION AND PREDICT EMERGENCE OF DRUGRESISTANT MALARIA (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2019 - Jun 30 2024
NEW TOOLS FOR ANTIMALARIAL TARGET IDENTIFICATION (Federal Gov)
Mar 22 2019 - Feb 29 2024
DEFINING THE ROLE OF PFCRT AND PFMDR1 AS PLEIOTROPIC MEDIATORS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Aug 1 2001 - Jan 31 2023
PARASITE-SPECIFIC PROTEASOME INHIBITORS TO COMBAT MULT-DRUG RESISTANT MALARIA (Federal Gov)
Dec 1 2016 - Nov 30 2021
PARASITE-SPECIFIC PROTEASOME INHIBITORS TO COMBAT MULT-DRUG RESISTANT MALARIA (Federal Gov)
Dec 1 2016 - Nov 30 2021
PROGRAMMING TRNA MODIFICATIONS IN THE HUMAN MALARIA PARASITE PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM: A NEW PARADIGM FOR ARTEMISININ RESISTANCE IN ASIAN ISOLATES (Private)
Sep 1 2019 - Aug 31 2021
ELUCIDATING THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF PIPERAQUINE RESISTANCE AND THE ROLE OF ALTERED HEMOGLOBIN METABOLISM IN PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
Feb 1 2016 - Jan 31 2021
NIPPING DRUG RESISTANCE IN THE BUD: IMPLEMENTING PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM GENETIC CROSSES IN HUMANIZED MICE TO DEFINE AND COUNTER ANTIMALARIAL RESISTANCE EMERGING IN SOUTH AMERICA (Private)
Nov 15 2018 - Nov 30 2020
TARGET DISCOVERY FOR ANTIMALARIALS (Private)
Nov 1 2019 - Oct 31 2020
TARGETING MITOCHONDRIAL METABOLISM AS A KEY VULNERABILITY IN ARTEMISININ-RESISTANT PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA (Federal Gov)
Mar 1 2019 - Aug 31 2020
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM IN MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2014 - May 31 2020
DEFINING P. FALCIPARUM RESISTANCE TO ARTEMISININ-BASED COMBINATION THERAPIES (Federal Gov)
Aug 1 2014 - Jul 31 2019
DEFINING P. FALCIPARUM RESISTANCE TO ARTEMISININ-BASED COMBINATION THERAPIES (Federal Gov)
Aug 1 2014 - Jul 31 2019
DEFINING P. FALCIPARUM RESISTANCE TO ARTEMISININ-BASED COMBINATION THERAPIES (Federal Gov)
Aug 1 2014 - Jul 31 2019
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM IN MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2014 - May 31 2019
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM IN MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2014 - May 31 2019
DEFINING THE GENETIC BASIS OF PIPERAQUINE RESISTANCE IN P. FALCIPARUM TO SUPPORT MALARIA ELIMINATION (Private)
May 1 2016 - Apr 30 2019
DISSECTING THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF PFCRT-MEDIATED ANTIMALARIAL DRUG RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Mar 1 2015 - Feb 28 2019
DISSECTING THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF PFCRT-MEDIATED ANTIMALARIAL DRUG RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Mar 1 2015 - Feb 28 2019
IDENTIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF MOLECULAR MARKERS OF PIPERAQUINE RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Feb 1 2018 - Jan 31 2019
IDENTIFYING NEW CHEMICAL ENTITIES THAT TREAT AND PREVENT RELAPSING VIVAX AND DRUG-RESISTANT FALCIPARUM MALARIA IN U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2015 - Sep 29 2018
ELUCIDATING THE COMPLEX GENETIC AND MOLECULAR BASIS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM ARTEMISININ RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2015 - Jun 30 2018
ELUCIDATING THE COMPLEX GENETIC AND MOLECULAR BASIS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM ARTEMISININ RESISTANCE (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2015 - Jun 30 2018
DIVERSITY AND PHENOTYPE OF ARTEMISININ RESISTANCE MUTATIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA (Federal Gov)
Jun 20 2016 - May 31 2018
DEFINING THE TARGETS OF BROAD INTERVENTION ANTIMALARIAL AGENTS (Federal Gov)
Aug 14 2013 - Jul 31 2017
ROLE OF PFCRT IN CHLOROQUINE RESISTANCE P. FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2001 - Jun 30 2017
DETERMINATION OF EMERGING RESISTANCE AGAINST DSM265 IN CLINICAL TRIALS (Private)
Jul 1 2016 - Jun 30 2017
TRAFFICKING SIGNALS IN P. FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2015 - May 31 2017
ASSESSMENT OF AZITHROMYCIN EFFICACY AGAINST MULTIDRUG RESISTANT PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA (Private)
Nov 29 2016 - May 16 2017
INHIBITORS OF PURINE IMPORT INTO PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM KILL MALARIA PARASITES (Federal Gov)
Feb 1 2015 - Jan 31 2017
MMV AGREEMENT (Private)
Sep 16 2016 - Dec 30 2016
FUNCTION OF ANTIMALARIAL DRUG RESISTANCE PROTEINS (Federal Gov)
Dec 1 2015 - Nov 30 2016
MAPPING DRUG RESISTANCE GENES IN PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
Dec 1 2013 - Nov 30 2016
DEFINING MARKERS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM PARASITE RESISTANCE TO ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS (Private)
Mar 1 2016 - Jun 30 2016
EXPLOITING FATTY ACID METABOLISM TO CURE MALARIA (Federal Gov)
Sep 23 2009 - Aug 31 2015
DEVELOPMENT OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES TO DEFINE NEW ANTIMALARIAL TARGETS AND THEIR MODES OF ACTION (Private)
Jul 1 2014 - Aug 30 2015
EVALUATING THE ROLE OF K13 MUTATIONS IN MALARIA PARASITE RESISTANCE TO ARTEMISININ (Private)
Dec 10 2014 - Jun 15 2015
ATTENUATED MALARIA SPOROZOITE VACCINE USING A P. FALCIPARUM BLOOD-STAGE AUXOTROPH (Federal Gov)
Feb 1 2013 - Jan 31 2015
TARGETS DISCOVERY FOR ANTIMALARIALS (Private)
Oct 9 2012 - Oct 31 2014
DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION OF A MEDIUM TO HIGH-THROUGHPUT LUCIFERASE-BASED ASSAY TO IDENTIFY COMPOUNDS ACTIVE AGAINST PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM GAMETOCYTES (Private)
Oct 25 2011 - Oct 31 2014
REGENERONRESEARCH AGREEMENT FOR GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT - EVANGELOS PEFANIS (DR. U. BASU, ADVISOR (Private)
Sep 1 2009 - Aug 31 2014
DEFINING THE TARGETS OF BROAD INTERVENTION ANTIMALARIAL AGENTS (Federal Gov)
Aug 14 2013 - Jul 31 2014
GENETICALLY ATTENUATED MALARIA ATTENUATED WHOLE PARASITE SPO ROZOITE VACCINE (Federal Gov)
Feb 15 2010 - Jan 31 2014
LYOPHILIZATION OF P. FALCIPARUM TRANSGENIC FOR TREHALOSE SYN THESIS/TRANSPORT (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2010 - Jan 31 2014
ELUCIDATION OF GENETIC MARKETS TO DETECT P. FALCIPARUM RESISTANCE TO MMV-SUPPORTED ANTIMALARIALS (ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES) (Federal Gov)
Mar 1 2009 - Dec 31 2013
MECHANISMS OF EFFECT OF IRON STATUS & INTERVENTIONS ON MALAR IA & OTHER INFECTIONS (Federal Gov)
Sep 30 2009 - Aug 31 2013
MECHANISMS OF EFFECT OF IRON STATUS & INTERVENTIONS ON MALARIA & OTHER INFECTIONS (Federal Gov)
Sep 30 2009 - Aug 31 2013
PHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES TO COMBATING RESISTANCE TO ANTIMALARIAL COMBINATIONS (Federal Gov)
Jul 15 2008 - Jun 30 2013
RESISTANCE MECHANISMS AND FITNESS COSTS IN DRUG-RESISTANT PL ASMODIUM FLACIPARUM (Private)
Feb 1 2012 - Jan 31 2013
PHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES TO COMBATING RESISTANCE TO ANTIMALA RIAL COMBINATION THERAPY (Private)
Jun 28 2010 - Jun 30 2012
EFFECTS OF HIV-I MA DOMAIN ON GAG MULTIMERIZATION AND VIRAL ASSEMBLY IN MICE (Federal Gov)
Jul 7 2009 - Apr 6 2012
EFFECTS OF HIV-I MA DOMAIN ON GAG MULTIMERIZATION AND VIRAL ASSEMBLY IN MICE (Federal Gov)
Jul 7 2009 - Apr 6 2012
TRAINING PROGRAM IN MICROBIOLOGY FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES (Federal Gov)
Sep 1 1978 - Aug 31 2011
PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM TRANSMEMBRANE PROTEINS AND THEIR ROLE IN PARASITE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO HEME-BINDI (Private)
May 1 2007 - Jul 31 2011
ROLE OF PFCRT IN CHLOROQUINE RESISTANCE IN P. FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2007 - Jun 30 2011
MAPPING DRUG RESISTANCE GENES IN PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM (Federal Gov)
May 1 2007 - Jan 31 2011
GENETICALLY ATTENUATED MALARIA SPOROZOTE VACCINE (Federal Gov)
May 1 2007 - Apr 30 2009