Venigalla Rao

Venigalla Basaveswara Rao is an Indian-American biochemist who is a professor of biology at the Catholic University of America. He serves as Director of the Bacteriophage Medical Research Center. In 2021, he was elected a Fellow of the American Society for Microbiology and the National Academy of Inventors.

Early life and education Rao was born in Donepudi, a village in Andhra Pradesh. His family owned a small farm. His early work explored the molecular structures that underpinned the DNA packaging machine, the motor and the capsid. the large icosahedral virus bacteriophage T4. The motor (17 nm wide and 9 nm high) would be more powerful than that of a car engine if it were scaled. where he has served as an associate professor, full professor, chair and director. He has investigated the application of bacteriophage T4 in vaccines against HIV/AIDS, the flu, He argued that such vaccines would be more cost-effective, easier to administer and provide more long-term protection. The needle-free vaccine is a noninfectious bacteriophage t4-based multi-component vaccine that contains spike trimers. The vaccine is created by tailoring a harmless Bacteriophage t4 (Escherichia virus) virus, such that it delivers an antidote to COVID-19. These nasal vaccines may induce immunity in the mucous lining, which could prevent viral transmission.

Awards and honors 2021 Elected Fellow of the American Society for Microbiology 2021 Elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

Selected publications