Foundation-funded professorship brings inaugural leader of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology to UVA

The University of Virginia has appointed Dr. Mark Esser, a vice president at the global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, as the Thomas A. Saunders III Family Jefferson Scholars Foundation Distinguished University Professor. Esser will also serve as the inaugural leader of UVA’s new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, where he will guide ambitious efforts to accelerate the translation of groundbreaking scientific discoveries into therapies and medicines that improve human health.

A distinguished scientist and accomplished executive, Esser returns to UVA—where he earned his Ph.D. in microbiology in 1998—with nearly 30 years of experience in biomedical research and drug development. At AstraZeneca, he oversaw antibody and vaccine discovery, research, and translational medicine for the company’s infectious disease programs, helping shepherd early-stage science from concept to clinical application. 

Esser holds more than 100 peer-reviewed research and clinical publications, five patents, and has contributed to the discovery and development of 20 new drugs. Among his most notable achievements are the development of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, and Beyfortus, a monoclonol antibody that protects against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Beyfortus was unanimously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023. 

“I’ve had the privilege of working across the full spectrum of drug discovery, from early research through licensure and the regulatory approval,” Esser said. “But the most gratifying part of my career, in many ways, has been mentoring the next generation of scientists and seeing them contribute meaningful work as scientific and medical leaders.”

Esser emphasized the collaborative nature of scientific advancement: “Science is a team sport. Developing a medicine requires an incredible breadth of expertise, and that kind of teamwork can only happen face to face, side by side at the lab bench, looking at data together.”

Esser will continue his collaborative work in the 350,000-square-foot Manning Institute currently under construction in Fontaine Research Park. Once complete, the four-story building will house high-tech research laboratories, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and clinical care space under one roof. UVA is also building a statewide clinical trials network to expand access to emerging treatments across Virginia. 

Jimmy Wright, president of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, welcomed Esser’s appointment as part of the Foundation’s growing commitment to attracting top-tier talent to the University. “Dr. Esser is the twelfth scholar to hold a Foundation-funded professorship at UVA,” Wright said. “His appointment represents one of two University Professorships established by longtime Foundation friend Tom Saunders, his wife Jordan, and their daughter Calvert Saunders Moore.”

Funded at the $10 million level—the most substantial of professorships supported by the Foundation—the Saunders Family University Professorship is one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive at UVA. University Professors are appointed by the provost and president, with approval from the Board of Visitors, and report directly to University leadership. The designation serves as a powerful recruitment tool for scholars of extraordinary distinction.

Esser is expected to begin his role on May 1, 2025, pending formal approval by the Board of Visitors.