VIRAL WARRIOR

FRIC Scientific Director Michaela Gack is committed to curing

BY WHITNEY JOSEPH

Renowned virologist Dr. Michaela Gack has a sterling reputation worldwide. These days, she can be found leading the Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center in Port St. Lucie, where the research aim is to expedite scientific findings with the goal of curing some of the deadliest diseases afflicting mankind.

Before landing in Port St. Lucie, Gack collected numerous accolades. In 2014, she received the Merk Irving S. Sigal Memorial Award of the American Society for Microbiology; in 2017 she won the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science; in 2021 she received the National Institutes of Health Director’s PIONEER Award; and she’s been selected to Germany’s elite list of “Top 40 Under 40” scientists — not just once, but twice. 

She studied virology at Harvard Medical School, where she earned her PhD. In 2015, she headed to the Midwest to join the faculty at the University of Chicago’s Biological Sciences Division; she earned her first professorship in 2018. She joined Cleveland Clinic Florida in July 2020 — the latest chapter in a career devoted to solving some of today’s most confounding medical mysteries. 

Ensconced in her lab at Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center, Gack is currently its Arthur and Marylin Levitt endowed chair and scientific director. “The center attracts highly educated researchers to the area, fostering a community of innovation and scientific inquiry,” Gack said. “By fostering collaboration between researchers and students, FRIC plays a crucial role in education.”

The research center is a boon to the community, in many ways. “The establishment of FRIC has had a significant economic impact on Port St. Lucie,” Gack said. “By attracting top-tier researchers, the center has created high-quality [local] jobs. Additionally, FRIC’s presence stimulates economic growth through increased investment in infrastructure, services and local businesses that support its operations. It brings a multitude of economic and educational benefits.

“[FRIC] complements Cleveland Clinic’s hospitals and patient care,” she added. “We are recruiting local, national and international top talent for our research to improve patient care and drive innovation.”

Beyond beneficially impacting the region, Gack emphasized that FRIC’s “contributions to medical research have the potential to impact global health positively, making it a valuable resource for current and future generations. Through its work, FRIC not only enhances the quality of life in the local community but also contributes to the broader mission of improving human health worldwide.

“The uniqueness of our research is that we look at both sides of the coin: we look at how human immune response works, and we look at how viruses block the human immune response. What we’re learning can help us find new treatments for emerging viruses or vaccines to outright prevent viruses.”