The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases is comprised of faculty with expertise in basic, translational and clinical research.
The focus of basic research in the division is on the immunity and pathogenesis of pulmonary infections such as M. tuberculosis and human metapneumovirus. Translational research studies include the treatment of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) and neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, epidemiology of lyme disease, epidemiology of respiratory viruses, multi-drug resistant bacteria, treatment of acute otitis media, pathogenesis and treatment of urinary tract infections and infections in organ transplant recipients.
Clinical studies are conducted through the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit (CRU) and include studies that are regional, national and international in scope. The CRU itself has evolved considerably since its earliest days as the Pittsburgh Vaccine Center and is current involved in investigator-initiated studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention as well as several pharmaceutical sponsored studies.
Current clinical studies by the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases involve research related to influenza vaccine efficacy, congenital CMV and neonatal HSV, invasive pneumococcal infections, and multi-drug resistant pathogens to name just a few.
Division scientists maintain close ties to Children’s services that care for patients undergoing both organ (heart, heart-lung, liver, small bowel and kidney) and bone marrow transplantation. In addition, the division provides exceptional care to children exposed to or affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The University of Pittsburgh is an extremely collegial institution, and PID fellows have the opportunity to conduct research with investigators in the departments of Immunology Medicine, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, as well as the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.
