About

Dr. Federico Zuckermann is a Professor of Immunology in the Department of Pathobiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois. He earned a DVM equivalent degree with honors from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) and a PhD in Immunology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His research focuses on understanding the innate and adaptive immune responses of swine to viruses, particularly porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and influenza A virus of swine. He investigates mechanisms used by viral pathogens to evade immune responses and applies this knowledge to develop effective vaccines. Dr. Zuckermann has contributed significantly to the field through his work on porcine macrophage biology and the role of the intestinal microbiome in activating innate immune defenses of swine. He is the inventor of multiple patents related to vaccine technology and has authored over 85 scientific publications. In 2010, he founded Aptimmune Biologics to commercialize vaccine technologies developed in his laboratory, including a novel porcine alveolar macrophage cell line and a PRRS virus vaccine strain. Dr. Zuckermann has served as past-President of the American Association of Veterinary Immunologists and has received over three million dollars in research funding.

Research topics

• Biology
• Virology
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Internal medicine
• Medicine

Selected publications

• The influence of colostrum-derived maternal cells on neonatal lamb immune responses to routine management practices

  The Veterinary Journal · 2025-12-04

  articleOpen access

  Colostrum is essential for newborn ruminants because it delivers vital nutrients, boosts immune function, and promotes growth. Studies suggest that maternal cells found in colostrum enhance the immune development of newborns, resulting in lasting health benefits. This study examines the impact of maternal colostral cells on lamb growth and husbandry-related mucosal health challenges. Initial assessments of ovine colostrum samples (n = 9) identified an effective method for removing maternal cells from colostrum. This method was utilized in an ewe-twin lamb model across two lambing seasons during which 78 lambs were involved. Twin lambs were randomly assigned to receive either cell-rich (CRC) or cell-free (CFC) colostrum within 12 h of birth. Lamb body weight gain, intestinal shedding of coccidia and strongyloids, peri-scrotal inflammation, and wound healing post-castration dynamics were monitored over the first two months of life. CRC lambs showed a consistent but statistically insignificant increase in body weight over time compared to CFC lambs. The parasitic burden varied by season and the coccidia oocyst counts were significantly lower (p = 0.04) in the CRC than in CFC-fed lambs. Additionally, CRC lambs had better post-castration healing scores at days 7 (p = 0.001), 35 (p = 0.005), and 42 (p = 0.04), and lower swelling scores at days 7 (p = 0.002) and 35 (p = 0.04). Overall, CRC-fed lambs demonstrated reduced intestinal parasitic shedding and improved peri-scrotal healing post-castration. Although the basis of these cellular mechanisms is still unknown, the results highlight practical health benefits of colostral cells and implications for colostrum management in livestock systems that preserve these cells viable.

  PublisherDOI

• A clinically attenuated double-mutant of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-2 that does not prompt overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines during co-infection with a secondary pathogen

  PLoS Pathogens · 2024-03-28 · 11 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is known to suppress the type I interferon (IFNs-α/β) response during infection. PRRSV also activates the NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines during infection. In swine farms, co-infections of PRRSV and other secondary bacterial pathogens are common and exacerbate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, contributing to the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) which is clinically a severe disease. Previous studies identified the non-structural protein 1β (nsp1β) of PRRSV-2 as an IFN antagonist and the nucleocapsid (N) protein as the NF-κB activator. Further studies showed the leucine at position 126 (L126) of nsp1β as the essential residue for IFN suppression and the region spanning the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of N as the NF-κB activation domain. In the present study, we generated a double-mutant PRRSV-2 that contained the L126A mutation in the nsp1β gene and the NLS mutation (ΔNLS) in the N gene using reverse genetics. The immunological phenotype of this mutant PRRSV-2 was examined in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) in vitro and in young pigs in vivo. In PAMs, the double-mutant virus did not suppress IFN-β expression but decreased the NF-κB-dependent inflammatory cytokine productions compared to those for wild-type PRRSV-2. Co-infection of PAMs with the mutant PRRSV-2 and Streptococcus suis (S. suis) also reduced the production of NF-κB-directed inflammatory cytokines. To further examine the cytokine profiles and the disease severity by the mutant virus in natural host animals, 6 groups of pigs, 7 animals per group, were used for co-infection with the mutant PRRSV-2 and S. suis. The double-mutant PRRSV-2 was clinically attenuated, and the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were significantly reduced in pigs after bacterial co-infection. Compared to the wild-type PRRSV-2 and S. suis co-infection control, pigs coinfected with the double-mutant PRRSV-2 exhibited milder clinical signs, lower titers and shorter duration of viremia, and lower expression of proinflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that genetic modification of the type I IFN suppression and NF-κB activation functions of PRRSV-2 may allow us to design a novel vaccine candidate to alleviate the clinical severity of PRRS-2 and PRDC during bacterial co-infection.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Lateral flow paired with RT-LAMP: A speedy solution for Influenza A virus detection in swine

  Veterinary Microbiology · 2024-07-06 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Influenza A Virus in swine (IAV-S) is a zoonotic pathogen that is nearly ubiquitous in commercial swine in the USA. Swine possess sialic acid receptors that allow co-infection of human and avian viruses with the potential of pandemic reassortment. We aimed to develop a fast and robust testing method for IAV-S detection on swine farms. Two primers of the RT-LAMP assay were labeled for use in a lateral flow readout. A commercially available lateral flow kit was used to read the amplicon product. With a runtime of ∼ 45 minutes, the limit of detection for the assay is comparable with an RT-qPCR Cq less than 35, with a sensitivity of 83.5 % and a specificity of 89.6 %. This assay allows veterinarians and producers with limited access to diagnostic services to perform and detect Matrix gene amplification on-site with low equipment costs. The time from sample collection to detection is less than one hour, making this method an accessible, convenient, and affordable tool to prevent the spread of zoonotic disease.

  PublisherDOI

• Field experiences with a novel PRRS live virus vaccine based on the naturally nonpathogenic G16X strain from 2021 to 2023 in Mexico

  AASV Annual Meeting · 2024-02-11

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A broadly protective vaccine against swine influenza A virus based on the matrix protein 2 (M2)

  AASV Annual Meeting · 2024-02-11

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• A novel PRRS live virus vaccine with unprecedented safety and efficacy based on the naturally nonpathogenic strain G16X

  AASV Annual Meeting · 2024-02-11

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• An effective vaccine against influenza A virus based on the matrix protein 2 (M2)

  Veterinary Microbiology · 2024-09-14 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The ever-increasing antigenic diversity of the hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza A virus (IAV) poses a significant challenge for effective vaccine development. Notably, the matrix protein 2 (M2) is a highly conserved 97 amino acid long transmembrane tetrameric protein present in the envelope of IAV. More than 99 % of IAV strains circulating in American swine herds share the identical pandemic (pdm) isoform of M2, making it an ideal target antigen for a vaccine that could elicit broadly protective immunity. Here, using soluble nanoscale membrane assemblies termed nanodiscs (NDs), we designed this membrane mimetic nanostructures displaying full-length M2 in its natural transmembrane configuration (M2ND). Intramuscular (IM) immunization of swine with M2ND mixed with conventional emulsion adjuvant elicited M2-specific IgG antibodies in the serum that recognized influenza virions and M2-specific interferon-γ secreting cells present in the blood. Intranasal (IN) immunization with M2ND adjuvanted with a mycobacterial extract elicited M2-specific IgA in mucosal secretions that also recognized IAV. Immunization with an influenza whole inactivated virus (WIV) vaccine supplemented with a concurrent IM injection of M2ND mixed with an emulsion adjuvant increased the level of protective immunity afforded by the former against a challenge with an antigenically distinct H3N2 IAV, as exhibited by an enhanced elimination of virus from the lung. The lone IM administration of the M2ND vaccine mixed with an emulsion adjuvant provided measurable protection as evidenced by a >10-fold reduction or complete elimination of the challenge virus from the lung, but it did not diminish the viral load in nasal secretions nor the extent of pneumonia that ensued after the virus challenge. In contrast, an improved formulation of the M2ND vaccine that incorporated synthetic CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) in the nanostructures administered alone, via the IN and IM routes combined, provided a significant level of protective immunity against IAV as evidenced by a decreased viral load in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts and fully eliminated the occurrence of pneumonia in 89 % of the pigs immunized with this biologic. Notably, to be effective, the M2 protein must be displayed in the ND assemblies, as shown by the observation that simply mixing M2 with empty NDs incorporating CpG-ODN (eND-CpG-ODN) did not provide protective immunity. This novel M2-based vaccine offers great promise to help increase the breadth of protection afforded by conventional WIV vaccines against the diversity of IAV in circulation and, plausibly, as a broadly protective stand-alone biologic. • Vaccination of swine with matrix protein 2 (M2) provides significant protection against influenza virus. • To provide protection, the M2 protein is required to be displayed in its natural transmembrane configuration in nanodiscs (M2ND). • Because 99% of swine influenza viruses express the identical M2 protein, the M2ND vaccine would afford broad protection. • The M2ND vaccine offers great promise to increase the breath of protection afforded by influenza inactivated virus vaccines. • Conceivably, the M2ND vaccine could also function as a stand-alone biologic.

  PublisherDOI

• RT-LAMP as Diagnostic Tool for Influenza—A Virus Detection in Swine

  Veterinary Sciences · 2023-03-13 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access

  Point-of-care diagnostic technologies are becoming more widely available for production species. Here, we describe the application of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) to detect the matrix (M) gene of influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S). M-specific LAMP primers were designed based on M gene sequences from IAV-S isolated in the USA between 2017 and 2020. The LAMP assay was incubated at 65 °C for 30 min, with the fluorescent signal read every 20 s. The assay's limit of detection (LOD) was 20 M gene copies for direct LAMP of the matrix gene standard, and 100 M gene copies when using spiked extraction kits. The LOD was 1000 M genes when using cell culture samples. Detection in clinical samples showed a sensitivity of 94.3% and a specificity of 94.9%. These results show that the influenza M gene RT-LAMP assay can detect the presence of IAV in research laboratory conditions. With the appropriate fluorescent reader and heat block, the assay could be quickly validated as a low-cost, rapid, IAV-S screening tool for use on farms or in clinical diagnostic labs.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <i>Bacillus</i> -Based Direct-Fed Microbial Reduces the Pathogenic Synergy of a Coinfection with Salmonella enterica Serovar Choleraesuis and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

  Infection and Immunity · 2022 · 16 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

  -based direct-fed microbial (DFM) on the syndrome resulting from infection with either Salmonella enterica serotype Choleraesuis alone, or in combination with PRRSV. Nine days after the bacterial challenge, Salmonella was isolated from ileocecal lymph nodes of all challenged pigs regardless of DFM treatment. Compared to the single bacterial challenge, the dual challenge with Salmonella and PRRSV resulted in a pathogenic synergy exhibited by a higher rate of Salmonella colonization in the lung and a more extensive and severe interstitial pneumonia. Provision of DFM to dually challenged pigs reduced the rate of lung colonization by Salmonella, eliminated or reduced the presence of PRRSV in the lung, and reduced the extent and severity of gross lung pathology. Dually challenged pigs that received DFM had increased concentrations of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and IL-8 in lung lavage fluids, accompanied by increased expression in their blood cells of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain receptor 2 (NOD2) and triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) molecules. These changes in pulmonary inflammatory cytokine production and increased expression of NOD2 and TREM-1 suggest that the DFM exerted a systemic modulating effect on innate immunity. These observations are consistent with the notion that tonic stimulation by gut-derived microbial products can poise innate immunity to fight infections in the respiratory tract.

  PublisherDOI

• Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial reduces the pathogenic synergy of a co-infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

  2021-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Raw data and its analysis collected from a trial designed to test the impact of providing a Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial (DFM) on the syndrome resulting from orally infecting pigs with either Salmonella enterica serotype Choleraesuis (S. Choleraesuis) alone, or in combination with an intranasal challenge, three days later, with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Robert J. Husmann

  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  43 shared

• Ronald M. Weigel

  29 shared

• Lawrence D. Firkins

  29 shared

• William M. Schnitzlein

  27 shared

• Richard E. Isaacson

  Cornell University

  26 shared

• Joseph A. DiPietro

  University of Southern Indiana

  25 shared

• Joan K. Lunney

  Agricultural Research Service

  24 shared

• Armin Saalmüller

  University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

  19 shared

Labs

• Histology LaboratoryPI

  The Comparative Biosciences Histology Laboratory is a departmental laboratory that provides histologic technical services and support for teaching and research projects.

Education

• PhD, Graduate Program in Immunology

  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Medical School

  1986

• DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine

  Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Instituto de Biología

  1979

Awards & honors

• Past-President of the American Association of Veterinary Imm…
• Inventor of nine patents