Research & Discovery

UVA Alum, a Top Medical Researcher, Will Lead Manning Institute

The University of Virginia announced Thursday it has hired an alumnus known for fostering collaborations among universities, the government and private industry to lead the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology and to animate the institute’s ambitious plans, including translating laboratory discoveries to therapies and treatments that improve life.

Mark T. Esser, a vice president for the research-based biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, earned a doctorate in microbiology from the UVA School of Medicine in 1998. His appointment to the Manning Institute was announced in a UVA Health news release.

As the institute’s inaugural scientific officer and leader, Esser will be charged with capitalizing on the cutting-edge biomedical research underway at UVA and UVA Health to tackle some of the greatest challenges in medicine and accelerate the development of new treatments and cures. As head of the Manning Institute, Esser will hold the Thomas A. Saunders Family Jefferson Scholars Foundation University Professorship, pending Board of Visitors approval.

Candid of Paul Manning speaking at a podium

Paul Manning, a health entrepreneur and UVA Board of Visitors member, speaks at the Manning Institute groundbreaking in late 2023. He called Esser the “complete package – a smart, savvy, and experienced leader with broad knowledge and a proven track record of success.” (Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

“I’m excited not just to return to UVA, but to lead it into a new era of biomedical research,” Esser said. “The Manning Institute represents an unprecedented opportunity both for me, personally, and for the entire field of health care. I know the incredible caliber of talent UVA attracts, and I can’t wait to work with many of the top minds in medicine to make a real difference in the lives of people around the world.”

The 350,000-square-foot Manning Institute is under construction in Fontaine Research Park. Once complete, the four-story building will bring high-tech research facilities, state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and patient care space together under one roof. At the same time, UVA is developing a statewide clinical trials network to expand access to new treatments as they are being developed and tested.

A $100 million gift from the institute’s namesakes, Paul and Diane Manning, kickstarted the concept in early 2023. UVA added $150 million, while state leaders supplemented with another $100 million in funding, bringing the total initial investment to $350 million.

One of Esser’s responsibilities will be to foster an “ecosystem of innovation” that will attract biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to the commonwealth and particularly to Central Virginia. The effort has the potential to create hundreds of jobs directly and perhaps thousands indirectly.

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“We are fortunate to have found an ideal candidate in Dr. Mark Esser to lead the Manning Institute,” UVA President Jim Ryan said. “He brings both great scientific expertise and decades of experience in developing new treatments and medical breakthroughs. He is a bridge-builder who knows how to work collaboratively, how to work efficiently, and how to get things done. He will be the linchpin in realizing the potential of the Manning Institute to shape the future of medicine.”

At AstraZeneca, Esser serves as vice president for vaccines and immune therapies, overseeing a staff of 100 and managing an annual budget of more than $30 million. He has supervised research and development programs from concept through approval and holds five patents.

“Dr. Esser is a perfect choice to lead the Manning Institute – and UVA – to the very forefront of cutting-edge medicine,” Brie Gertler, UVA’s interim executive vice president and provost, said. “He brings the multifaceted expertise and far-reaching skills that will be essential in fast-tracking exciting ideas into lifesaving and life-changing treatments.”

Paul and Diane Manning with Glenn and Suzanne Youngkin

Paul and Diane Manning, left, pose with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne, at the institute groundbreaking. The governor has said the institute has the potential to bring hundreds of direct jobs to Central Virginia, and perhaps thousands of indirect jobs to the state. (Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

Esser’s specialties include immunology, vaccines and biologic drugs, virology and microbiology, diagnostics and biomarkers, clinical research and development, business development, and navigating federal research regulations and submissions.

“Dr. Esser is a preeminent scientist, with a deep understanding of medical research, who understands how to quickly and safely advance discoveries from the lab bench to the bedside,” said Dr. Mitchell H. Rosner, UVA’s acting executive vice president for health affairs. “Our goals for the Manning Institute are to accelerate how quickly we can get new treatments to patients and to ensure that no Virginian has to leave the state for even the most complex care. Dr. Esser has the vision and experience to deliver on both of those.”

Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Esser was a senior research fellow and senior research immunologist at Merck Research Laboratories. He did his postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institutes of Health’s AIDS vaccine program after obtaining his doctorate at UVA and his undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University.

“Mark Esser is the complete package – a smart, savvy, and experienced leader with broad knowledge and a proven track record of success,” said Paul Manning, a longtime health care entrepreneur who now chairs UVA’s Heath System Board. “I am confident he will make the Manning Institute a game-changing force in medicine, to the benefit of patients across Virginia and beyond.”