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Explore our cutting edge research, world-class patient care, career opportunities and more.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Home
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About the Department
The goal of the Department of Infectious Diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to study devastating diseases of childhood through a comprehensive approach including basic science research, translational trials, and bedside care.
Among the top infectious causes of death worldwide are respiratory diseases and HIV/AIDS. The Department of Infectious Diseases seeks to focus on the pathogenesis of these infections with a breadth of commitment that extends from the research bench to the bedside. Investigations take place at progressive levels: manipulation of genes is expected to lead to phenotypes in cell culture systems that can be modeled in animal studies. Therapeutic candidates in the form of antimicrobials, vaccines, or adjunctive therapies are further pursued in clinical trials in children.
Infectious Diseases Leadership
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Octavio Ramilo, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Chair, Department of Infectious Diseases
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Chair, Department of Infectious Diseases
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Viral respiratory infections
- Early life immunity
- Application of systems analysis tools in the clinical setting
Contact Information
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8050
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Aditya Gaur, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Occupational Health
Director, Translational Trials Unit
Director, Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases
Aditya Gaur, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Occupational Health
Director, Translational Trials Unit
Director, Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases
Clinical Interests
- Diagnosis and treatment of infections in immunocompromised children
- Pediatric HIV infection
- Epidemiology of infectious diseases
Contact Information
Aditya Gaur, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1078
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Gabriela Maria Marón Alfaro, MD, MSc
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Infectious complications in immunocompromised hosts, particularly fungal infections
- Dengue virus infections
- Pediatric and adolescent HIV/AIDS
Contact Information
Gabriela Maria Marón Alfaro, MD, MSc
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1077C
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Steven M. Varga, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Ex-officio member, Board of Trustees
Steven M. Varga, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Ex-officio member, Board of Trustees
Research Interests
- Immunopathogenesis of respiratory viruses
- Innate and adaptive immunity to respiratory syncytial virus
- Vaccine development
- Pathogenesis of viral co-infections
- Cancer immunotherapy
Contact Information
Steven M. Varga, PhD
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
MS 1500, Room IA1200
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Joshua Wolf, PhD, MBBS
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Prediction, prevention and treatment of infections in immunocompromised children
- Management of device-associated infections
Contact Information
Joshua Wolf, PhD, MBBS
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8063
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
Infectious Diseases Faculty
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Elisabeth E. Adderson, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
Elisabeth E. Adderson, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
Research Interests
- Identifying virulence factors of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Haemophilus influenzae, key pathogens in infants.
- Investigating genomic differences in GBS strains to uncover genes linked to adhesion, invasion, and increased virulence.
- Studying outbreaks of H. influenzae serotypes a and e to identify bacterial factors driving increased virulence.
- Exploring genetic mechanisms by which respiratory pathogens acquire virulence genes.
Contact Information
Elisabeth E. Adderson, MD
MS 320, Room E8054
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Patricia M. Flynn, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Associate Dean, Clinical Investigations MS Program
Senior Vice President and Medical Director of Quality and Patient Care
Deputy Clinical Director
Arthur Ashe Chair in Pediatric AIDS Research
Patricia M. Flynn, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Associate Dean, Clinical Investigations MS Program
Senior Vice President and Medical Director of Quality and Patient Care
Deputy Clinical Director
Arthur Ashe Chair in Pediatric AIDS Research
Affiliations
Research Interests
- HIV/AIDS
- Infections in immunocompromised hosts (mycotic infections and intravascular catheter infections)
- Epidemiology
Contact Information
Patricia M. Flynn, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 230, Room O5008C
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Aditya Gaur, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Occupational Health
Director, Translational Trials Unit
Director, Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases
Aditya Gaur, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Occupational Health
Director, Translational Trials Unit
Director, Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases
Clinical Interests
- Diagnosis and treatment of infections in immunocompromised children
- Pediatric HIV infection
- Epidemiology of infectious diseases
Contact Information
Aditya Gaur, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1078
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Amanda Green, MD
Instructor, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Human immune responses to co-infection and chronic viruses, including HIV and CMV
- Hyperinflammation and immune dysregulation in response to acute viral triggers
- Infections in patients with sickle cell disease
Contact Information
Amanda Green, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8004
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Hana Hakim, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Fever and neutropenia in pediatric oncology
Contact Information
Hana Hakim, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1103
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Diego R. Hijano, MD, MSc
Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Host-pathogen interactions of respiratory virus
- Systemic viral infections in immunocompromised host
- Infections in bone marrow transplant recipients
Contact Information
Diego R. Hijano, MD, MSc
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8063
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Julia L. Hurwitz, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Research Interests
- Vaccine development
- Immune responses at the mucosal surface
- Parvovirus vaccine development
- How vitamins influence the immune response
- How sex influences the immune response
- Asthma and the immune response
- Stem cell/organ transplants and the immune response.
Contact Information
Julia L. Hurwitz, PhD
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8052
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Katherine M. Knapp, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Perinatal HIV Program
Katherine M. Knapp, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Medical Director, Perinatal HIV Program
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Pediatric/adolescent HIV infection
- Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission
- Long-term outcomes of perinatal HIV/antiretroviral exposure
- Infectious complications in immunocompromised hosts, particularly fungal infections
Contact Information
Katherine M. Knapp, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1077E
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Ellie Margolis, MD, PhD
Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
Ellie Margolis, MD, PhD
Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
Research Interests
- Multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) colonization
- Selection of antibiotic resistance in immunocompromised hosts
- Ecological processes that determine microbiome dynamics in immunocompromised hosts
- Commensal microbes that limit the colonization of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus
Contact Information
Ellie Margolis, MD, PhD
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8002
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Gabriela Maria Marón Alfaro, MD, MSc
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Infectious complications in immunocompromised hosts, particularly fungal infections
- Dengue virus infections
- Pediatric and adolescent HIV/AIDS
Contact Information
Gabriela Maria Marón Alfaro, MD, MSc
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1077C
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Asunción Mejías, MD, PhD, MsCS
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Asunción Mejías, MD, PhD, MsCS
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Viral respiratory infections
- Perinatal infections including CMV and HSV
- Data science
- Integration of immune parameters with patient’s clinical phenotype
Contact Information
Asunción Mejías, MD, PhD, MsCS
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8051
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Nehali D. Patel, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director of Clinical Services, Infectious Diseases Clinic
Nehali D. Patel, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director of Clinical Services, Infectious Diseases Clinic
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Pediatric/adolescent/young adult HIV therapy
- Pediatric vaccines
Contact Information
Nehali D. Patel, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 600, Room Q1110
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Octavio Ramilo, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Chair, Department of Infectious Diseases
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Chair, Department of Infectious Diseases
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Viral respiratory infections
- Early life immunity
- Application of systems analysis tools in the clinical setting
Contact Information
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8050
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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View Details
Steven M. Varga, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Ex-officio member, Board of Trustees
Steven M. Varga, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Ex-officio member, Board of Trustees
Research Interests
- Immunopathogenesis of respiratory viruses
- Innate and adaptive immunity to respiratory syncytial virus
- Vaccine development
- Pathogenesis of viral co-infections
- Cancer immunotherapy
Contact Information
Steven M. Varga, PhD
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
MS 1500, Room IA1200
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Robert Webster, PhD
Emeritus, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- The emergence and control of influenza viruses
- Structure and function of influenza virus proteins
- Development of novel influenza vaccines and antivirals
- Viral immunology
Contact Information
Robert Webster, PhD
St. Jude Childen's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Joshua Wolf, PhD, MBBS
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Prediction, prevention and treatment of infections in immunocompromised children
- Management of device-associated infections
Contact Information
Joshua Wolf, PhD, MBBS
Infectious Diseases
MS 320, Room E8063
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Department of Infectious Diseases
MS320
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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