St. Jude History & Growth - New Center
The mission of the St. Jude Children's Infection Defense Center (CIDC) is to eliminate catastrophic infectious killers of children by unlocking mysteries of how our bodies fight off disease and how viruses and bacteria cause disease. Agents are being developed to diagnose infections (diagnostics), prevent infections (vaccines), treat infections (antimicrobial agents) and reconstitute crippled defenses (immunotherapy). Respiratory infections are the number one killer of children worldwide and the Center is a world leader in this area. These contagious infections can spread rapidly and children younger than three are often the most vulnerable, because their immune systems are still developing. Influenza and parainfluenza vaccines and antivirals are being developed, including countermeasures against pandemic influenza. Bacterial pneumonia threatens the very young and the elderly and vaccines tailored to protect these populations are being successfully tackled. The Center is a forum to bring together those who study the immune response with those who understand the infecting agent and thereby build defenses for those who are weakened by chemotherapy or immunodeficiency.