Dr. Buck received a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He then returned to his home state, Maryland, to earn a PhD from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Buck’s graduate research in Dr. Robert Siliciano's lab focused on the translation and immunogenicity of the HIV-1 capsid protein Gag. For his graduate work, Dr. Buck received the Alicia Showalter Reynolds Award. In 2001, Dr. Buck began post-doctoral training in the Lab of Cellular Oncology, where he developed systems for producing human papillomavirus (HPV)-based gene transfer vectors (pseudoviruses). His work using HPV vectors ranged from basic studies of HPV virion structure and morphogenesis to translational research identifying candidate topical microbicides for blocking HPV transmission. For his work in these areas, Dr. Buck, and his mentors, Drs. John Schiller and Doug Lowy, shared the 2006 Norman P. Salzman Award. In 2007, Dr. Buck joined the faculty of the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research as an Investigator. In 2013, he shared a second Salzman Award in recognition of his mentoring of Dr. Rachel Schowalter. Dr. Buck was awarded tenure in 2014. 

Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Virology