Infectious Diseases Research
The Division of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has earned acclaim for its role in research discoveries that have changed the face of modern medicine. From work that led to the oral polio vaccine to the development of Rotarix®, one of two oral rotavirus vaccines, our discoveries have markedly decreased illness and fatalities throughout the world.
Our basic and clinical research programs continue this reputation for excellence and innovation. The scope of our basic science research includes both viral and fungal pathogenesis: we are conducting studies of herpesvirus latency and vaccines, structure-function relationships of noroviruses, the immunobiology of rotavirus infection, the molecular pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus infection, the immune response to influenza vaccines and the mechanisms underlying bloodstream infection by the Candida albicans.
Our translational research conducted in mouse, guinea pig and primate models provides a preclinical assessment of the efficacy of therapies for a number of pathogens including herpesviruses, noroviruses and rotavirus. These studies serve as a bridge between basic science and clinical investigation.
Thanks to NIH and industry support, our Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU) conducts clinical research trials evaluating vaccine and antiviral strategies in humans. Our other clinical research programs include the CDC funded epidemiology and surveillance program, which conducts population-based surveillance to determine the disease burden for infectious diseases and examines the effectiveness of recommended vaccines. These studies are supported by the division’s Laboratory for Specialized Clinical Studies (LSCS), which performs state-of-the-art virology and immune evaluations. A well-funded program in global health research provides opportunities for faculty and fellows to participate in exciting clinical and epidemiologic investigations in China, Honduras, Guatemala, Nepal, India and Bangladesh.
We receive research funding from a variety of sources such as the National Institutes of Health, the Fogerty Center, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Vaccine Program Office, the Department of Defense, the March of Dimes and industry sponsors.
