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.
Areas of excellence
Influenza
The Influenza research program at St. Jude leads the US effort against pandemic influenza and collaborates with the World Health Organization in tracking emergence of new influenza strains.
SARS-CoV-2
Department investigators are leading collaborative efforts to understand SARS-CoV-2 (and other coronaviruses) biology, transmission, pathogenesis, and therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Infection Defense
The Children’s Infection Defense Center seeks to eliminate the catastrophic infectious diseases of childhood through the use of vaccines and therapeutic agents whose development is based on an understanding of human immunity and microbial pathogenesis.
Fellowship Training
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship Program prepares pediatricians for a successful career through comprehensive training in infectious diseases clinical medicine and in basic, translational and clinical research.
HIV/AIDS
At St. Jude, we're changing the way the world treats and defeats pediatric infectious diseases. In 1987, Danny Thomas declared AIDS a catastrophic disease of children. Soon after, the hospital made HIV/AIDS a research priority, and created the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trial Unit.
Pediatric Transplant Infectious Diseases
The goal of PIDTRAN is to provide a collaborative network for identifying, developing, and providing ongoing support for innovative clinical and translational research in the field of Pediatric Transplant Infectious Diseases.
Faculty
Leadership
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Chair, Infectious Diseases
Elaine I. Tuomanen, MD
Director CIDC
Richard Webby, PhD
Director, WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds
Stacey L. Schultz-Cherry, PhD
Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds
Aditya Gaur, MD
Director, Clinical Research Infectious Diseases
Director, Translational Trials Unit
Joshua Wolf, PhD, MBBS
Director, ID Heme/Onc Division
Gabriela M. Maron Alfaro, MD, MSc
Director, Transplant ID Division
Join us
St. Jude investigators have the freedom to focus on making big discoveries, backed by extraordinary resources and support teams. We are always looking for highly motivated scientists and engineers with passion and talent to join us!
Contact us
Department of Infectious Diseases
MS320
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Memphis, TN, 38105-3678 USA GET DIRECTIONS