Daniel Nelson

Biography

Daniel C. Nelson is a Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Discovery at the University of Maryland. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Veterinary Medicine on the College Park campus and at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) in Rockville, where his laboratory is located. Dr. Nelson’s research focuses on bacterial pathogenesis, bacterial biofilms, and the development of bacteriophage-derived proteins as novel diagnostic and antimicrobial agents. The central theme of his work is the study of proteins involved in the bacteriophage lytic system, particularly endolysins, enzymes that rapidly bind to and degrade bacterial cell walls. These proteins represent a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. In 2001, while a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Vincent Fischetti at The Rockefeller University, Dr. Nelson conducted the first study demonstrating the in vivo efficacy of an endolysin against a bacterial infection. Over the following years, research in this field expanded rapidly, encompassing studies on host range, resistance, toxicity, synergy, pharmacokinetics, and diverse in vivo models. Currently, at least four endolysins have entered clinical trials, with one reaching Phase III evaluation. 

Research Interests

In 2007, Dr. Nelson joined the University of Maryland, where his laboratory began conducting structure–function studies of several of the more active endolysins. Building on this knowledge, his team now designs engineered endolysins with enhanced attributes such as increased activity, broader host range, and improved thermostability. These bioengineering approaches aim to produce the next generation of endolysins with optimized therapeutic properties. Active projects in his lab focus on endolysins targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Clostridioides difficile, and Staphylococcus aureus. Dr. Nelson is also the co-founder of ExoLytics, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to translating endolysin technologies to address unmet medical needs. He regularly serves on scientific study sections for the National Institutes of Health, has acted as a Department of Defense subject matter expert on antibiotic resistance, and consults or collaborates with several public and private organizations pursuing bacterial antimicrobial technologies.

Education

• MBA, Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of New York, 2003
• Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, 1999  
• B.S., Biology, University of California, Irvine, 1993

Professional Appointments

• 2021-Pres. Professor, joint appointment with Veterinary Medicine and IBBR
• 2014-2021  Associate Professor, joint appointment with Veterinary Medicine and IBBR
• 2012-Pres. Affiliate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics
• 2010-Pres. Guest Researcher, National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST)
• 2010-2014  Assistant Professor, joint appointment with Veterinary Medicine and IBBR
• 2007-2010  Assistant Professor, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI)
  *UMBI reorganized as the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) and merged with the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2010    
• 2005-2007  Research Assistant Professor, Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Rockefeller University
• 1999-2004  Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology,   
  Rockefeller University (Mentor: Vincent A. Fischetti)

All Publications