Scientific Staff

Our Scientific Staff members include:

Dr. Wai-Ming Lee, PhD

Dr. Kimberly Clark, PhD

Ms. Ruth Bushnell

 

Meet Dr. Wai-Ming Lee: 

wmlDr. Lee is a molecular virologist with a primary background in the mechanisms of virus lifecycles and disease.  Dr. Lee has studied virus attachment and host cell entry, genome replication, capsid assembly, and release.  Dr. Lee is a world expert in the field of human rhinoviruses (HRVs) which are the most prevalent human respiratory viruses.

Rhinoviruses are responsible for at least half of all acute upper respiratory illnesses (common colds).  While HRV may not cause serious disease in many healthy individuals, it can cause severe lower respiratory illnesses, such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and exacerbations of asthma in high-risk groups, including infants.  Vaccine development has been complicated by the large number of HRV serotypes and the propensity of the human immune system to recognize serotype-restricted epitopes.  At BMI, Dr. Lee is involved in the development of novel strategies to overcome these complications in the development of a broadly protective HRV vaccine.

Dr. Lee completed his doctoral work with Dr. Roland Ruekert at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.  Dr. Lee continued to pursue his interests in virology with Drs. Paul Ahlquist, James Gern, and others at the Allergy and Asthma Research Group of UW Medical School.  Dr. Lee joined BMI in February of 2011.

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Virus Developments

BMI is developing an AIDS vaccine and applying its Immune Dampening and Refocusing Technology to the outer HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120/gp41, which is the main mediator of viral fusion and entry with host receptors CD4 and chemokine receptors CCR5 and/or CXCR4.

The Latest Technology

Biological Mimetics, Inc. (“BMI”) was formed to commercialize innovative pharmaceutical products that will improve the quality of life and overall state of public health by combating resistant and emerging diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Our mission philosophy is to remain a creative and innovative biotechnology firm dedicated to improving the quality of life and overall state of public health through the application of novel technologies for the development and commercialization of human and veterinary biologics to address a long list of hitherto intractable disease targets involving viruses, bacteria, parasites, and cancer.

Research & Development

dreamstime_1958257Our Research & Development (R&D) includes human applications such as HIV & Aids, Respiratory Agents (Influenza Virus, Rhinovirus), and Non-typeable Haemophilus Influenza (NTHI). Our veterinary applications include Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPNV), and Porcine Reporductive & Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRS). You'll find more information on these topics by going to our main Research & Development page.

Company News

blk triangleJune 2011: BMI announces collaborative research agreement with Crucell-BV for development of a universal influenza vaccine
blk triangleNov. 2010: BMI announces collaborative research agreement with GSK-Biologicals for development of an immune refocused vaccine for respiratory infection
blk triangleSept 2010: BMI is awarded a Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Award
blk triangleJune 2010: BMI is awarded a Small Business Innovative Research Grant from the NIH for vaccine development
blk triangleNov. 2009: BMI is a prime contractor in the Fundamentals of Biology Program of DARPA/DSO for the study of modularity in biological systems
blk triangleMay 2008: BMI is awarded a subcontract for HIV vaccine development through the Henry M Jackson Institute for the Advancement of Military Medicine.
blk triangleJuly 2007: BMI is awarded a subcontract from DARPA through Rice University to study the evolution of pathogens
blk triangleJune 2007: BMI is awarded a subcontract from DARPA through VaxDesign (Orlando, Florida) to study immunogenicity of influenza