Congratulations to Mark J. Mulligan, MD
The IDCRC LG would like to congratulate Mark J. Mulligan, MD, on his upcoming retirement from NYU Langone.
“I want to thank Mark for the many years of outstanding collaboration and his long-standing support of science, vaccinology and the IDCRC. His contributions and mentorship have made a difference in the lives of many people. We will miss his insightful questions and inquires. I wish him and his family all the best!” —David S. Stephens, MD, IDCRC LG chair.
Dr. Mulligan's contributions to the IDCRC are exemplary, having served as director of the Vaccine Center at NYU Langone since April 2020, when New York City was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Mulligan was among the first to enroll patients in a clinical trial of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, four IDCRC-supported studies – COVAIL Trial, Mix and Match, MOMI-Vax, and AstraZeneca Study of AZD122 – have been conducted under his leadership. The NYU VTEU also serves as a participating site for the PROMISE study.
“Mark was the consummate VTEU leader. During the years where Mark led adult studies at Emory VTEU. Evan Anderson, MD, and I ran the pediatric VTEU studies, and Mark was an incredible partner. I always appreciated his selfless nature and his willingness to work together to move trials forward. Mark always asked the most insightful questions when studies were discussed, and he pressed for continuing PI engagement with VTEU laboratory assay development. I can’t think of anyone I have worked with who was more helpful and enabling of the careers of other investigators in the field. I hope Mark enjoys his retirement but also manages to stay engaged with vaccine advocacy efforts as his voice is a powerful one. Best wishes, Mark.” —Paul Spearman, MD, IDCRC Leadership Group innovations committee chair, Expert Working Groups Council liaison
In addition to his work with the IDCRC, he has been an invaluable contributor to the NYU community as a highly respected investigator, clinician, educator, and leader. He has been an international leader in infectious disease research programs for more than three decades, and his pioneering work has profoundly advanced the field. He is the director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology and the inaugural director of the Vaccine Center at NYU Langone Health.
Before coming to NYU Langone in 2018, Dr. Mulligan held several positions at Emory University, including associate division director for clinical and translational research in the Division of Infectious Diseases, and executive director of the Hope Clinic, the clinical trial arm of the Emory Vaccine Center. In those roles he focused both on vaccine clinical trials and on immune system studies that yielded vaccine candidates for HIV and other viruses.
He leaves a lasting impact on his team at NYU, with his colleagues sharing the following:
“Dr. Mulligan has been a strong supporter of my career and a fantastic mentor since he came to NYU. He has provided critical advice that has pivoted my career into the world of vaccines and clinical research. I am forever grateful for his unconditional support and for believing in me. He will be missed, and we all wish him the best in his next chapter!” —Angelica Cifuentes Kottkamp, MD, incoming NYU VTEU principal investigator
“Over these past six years, we built the NYU Vaccine Center from the ground up—facing challenges as great as a global pandemic and coming out stronger. I’m so proud of what we accomplished together, and incredibly grateful for the chance to learn and grow through it all. Under Dr. Mark Mulligan’s leadership, it truly felt like a crash course in translational science and clinical trials—two decades of experience packed into six. None of it would have been possible without his trust, freedom, and guidance, and for that I’ll always be thankful. His commitment to our mission, to science, and to the community inspired us to carry on— “Onward”—despite every challenge. Thank you, Mark, for everything.” —Marie Samanovic-Golden, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
“Farewell and thank you, Dr. Mulligan. As you step into retirement, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your leadership and lasting impact that you have made. We are truly honored to work alongside you at the NYU Long-Island VTEU. Through your vision and mentorship, you've helped shape a culture of collaboration and integrity that will continue to inspire us. Thank you for all that you have done. We wish you joy and well-deserved rest in the next chapter of life.” — NYU Long Island Team, NYU Grossman Long-Island School of Medicine.
New NYU VTEU Leadership:
Mark Mulligan is retiring and stepping down from the IDCRC on October 1, 2025, and Angelica Cifuentes Kottkamp, MD, and Anoma Nellore, MD, will step into the role of principal investigators for the NYU Grossman School of Medicine Vaccine Center. Please join the IDCRC in welcoming these two outstanding investigators to the IDCRC leadership team!
Read the full announcement