Professional Experience

Staff Scientist, Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, LLNL (2015-present)

Postdoctoral Fellow, Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, LLNL (2011-2015)

Research

I am broadly interested in understanding innate and adaptive immune responses to biodefense-relevant pathogens. My research has included both basic and applied science approaches, from elucidating fundamental mechanisms of antiviral innate immunity, to the investigation of novel therapeutics. Current and past projects include:

• Investigation of innate immune responses in the brain to Rift Valley fever virus
• Development of blood brain barrier penetrating antibody therapeutics for encephalitic alphaviruses
• Development of a nanoparticle-based vaccine targeting B. anthracis spores
• Nanoparticle-based immune modulation strategies for broad spectrum protection against diverse pathogens

Current funding is from Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD), and the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

Ph.D., Molecular Cell Biology, UC Berkeley (2010)

B.S., Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA (2003)

Weilhammer D, Dunkle AD, Blanchette CD, Fischer NO, Corzett M, Lehmann D, Boone T, Hoeprich P, Driks A, Rasley A. (2017) Enhancement of antigen-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses using a self-assembled biologic nanolipoprotein particle vaccine. Vaccine 35(11): 1475-1481.

Fischer NO, Weilhammer DR, Dunkle A, Thomas C, Hwang M, Corzett M, Lychak C, Mayer W, Urbin S, Collette N, Chang JC, Loots GG, Rasley A Blanchette CD. (2014) Evaluation of nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) as an in vivo delivery platform. PLoS One. 2014 Mar 27;9(3):e93342.

Weilhammer DR, Blanchette CD, Fischer NO, Alam S, Loots GG, Corzett M, Thomas C, Lychak C, Dunkle AD, Ruitenberg JJ, Ghanekar SA, Sant AJ, Rasley A. (2013) The use of nanolipoprotein particles to enhance the immunostimulatory properties of innate immune agonists against lethal influenza challenge. Biomaterials 34(38):10305-18.

Weilhammer DR, Iavarone AT, Villegas EN, Brooks GA, Sinai AP, Sha WC. (2012) Host metabolism regulates growth and differentiation of Toxoplasma gondii. Int J of Parasitol 42(10):947-59.

Weilhammer DR, Rasley A. (2011) Genetic approaches for understanding virulence in Toxoplasma gondii. Brief Funct Genomics 10(6):365-73.