Getting phage research funded — Joe Campbell reflects on a career at NIAID

Welcome to the Podovirus podcast, episode 2!

In this episode, Jessica talks with Dr. Joe Campbell, who recently retired as a program officer at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Joe played a key role in shaping phage research funding and policy during his tenure at NIAID. He reflects on his career, the evolution of phage therapy research, and shares insights into the grant application process.

Takeaways

- Phage therapy funding at NIAID has evolved over time; it used to be lumped in with antibiotics, but Joe and his colleague Jane Knisely at NIAID eventually spearheaded the creation of phage-specific grants, which had phage people on their study sections!

- Phage therapy centers, such as Phage Canada and Phage Australia, play a key role nowadays in providing personalized phage treatments for patients who don't fit the criteria for traditional clinical trials.

- Rigorous clinical trials are essential for demonstrating the efficacy of phage therapies and gaining support from governments and healthcare systems.

- Phage therapy has the potential to treat a wide range of infections, and Joe is optimistic that clinical trials will show positive results

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:24 Reflections on a Career in the Phage Field

06:18 The Evolution of Phage Therapy Funding at NIAID

10:53 Taking Action to Support Phage Grants

14:09 The Impact of Phage Grants on Research and Funding

20:41 The Role of Phage Therapy Centers

22:47 Balancing Phage Therapy Centers and Biotech Companies

28:25 Challenges in Developing Phage Therapies in the US Healthcare System

30:41 The Importance of Rigorous Clinical Trials for Phage Therapies

33:38 NIAD's Preclinical Services for Phage Therapy Development

34:57 Pseudomonas Mouse Models and In Vitro Assays

37:09 The Role of NIAD Program Officers

38:46 Addressing the Economic Challenges of Phage Therapy