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Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health

Research and Discovery

Investigators in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health lead internationally recognized research programs spanning immunology, microbiology, vaccine development, antimicrobial resistance, molecular diagnostics, implementation science, and global health. Our work brings together laboratory discovery, clinical investigation, epidemiology, and equitable community and international partnerships to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases affecting children and families.
Across our programs, the goal is the same: to translate scientific discovery into healthier children in Greater Boston and around the world.

Areas of Focus

  • Pathogenesis, immunity, vaccines, and therapeutics. Understanding host-pathogen interactions and protective immunity in cholera, Klebsiella pneumoniae, malaria, sepsis, and other serious infections, and using these insights to advance vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, biomarkers, and new therapies.
  • Antimicrobial resistance, stewardship, and molecular diagnostics. Defining how resistant organisms emerge and spread; developing better diagnostic and laboratory tools; and improving antimicrobial use in children and health systems.
  • Global maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. Improving outcomes in neonatal and maternal health, childhood pneumonia, maternal-child HIV, adolescent and young adult health, environmental health, and respiratory disease.
  • Implementation science and community-engaged research. Designing practical, sustainable interventions with communities, clinicians, health systems, and public health partners, while strengthening local research and clinical capacity.

Global Research Partnerships

Global partnerships are a cornerstone of the division's research. Faculty maintain longstanding collaborations with investigators, ministries of health, hospitals, academic institutions, and community organizations across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and beyond. Together, we conduct collaborative research, evaluate interventions, strengthen laboratory and healthcare systems, train future leaders, and build durable research capacity through shared, bidirectional partnerships.

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Our Investigators

Select an investigator's name to view a Harvard Catalyst profile, including publications, research concepts, and professional information.

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Chadi M. El Saleeby, MD

Antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship; respiratory viral infections; vancomycin use; emerging and vector-borne infections.

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Investigator

Research Focus

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Lakshmi Ganapathi, MD

Adolescent and young adult health; opioid use disorder; behavioral and implementation science; community-engaged research.

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Jason B. Harris, MD, MPH

Cholera and enteric infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenesis and immunity; antimicrobial resistance; mucosal immunity; vaccine development.

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Azza H. Idris, MD, PhD

Malaria parasite biology and host immunity; monoclonal antibody therapeutics; vaccines; translational infectious diseases research.

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Peter P. Moschovis, MD, MPH

Childhood pneumonia; household air pollution; air quality and lung health; global child health; implementation science.

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Krysten A. North, MD, MPH

Global newborn and maternal health; neonatal nutrition; neurodevelopment; implementation science; global health partnerships.

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Kathleen M. Powis, MD, MPH, MBA

Maternal-child HIV; pregnancy and HIV; children who are HIV-exposed and uninfected; global women's and child health; clinical trials.

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Damien Slater, PhD

Molecular diagnostics and laboratory assay development; enteric infections; antimicrobial resistance; global laboratory capacity building.

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H. Shaw Warren, MD

Sepsis; host response to infection; inflammation; biomarker discovery; translational medicine.

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