Kathy Neuzil, MD

Dr. Neuzil is a globally recognized vaccinologist with expertise ranging from clinical trials, epidemiology, international field trials and vaccine policy, to partnerships with emerging manufacturers and direct experience with Gavi processes, World Health Organization (WHO) policy, and prequalification (PQ). Dr. Neuzil has over two decades of experience in infectious diseases and vaccine science, policy, and leadership experience. Her depth of experience in clinicals trials, expertise in vaccine research and development, track record of partnerships with developing country vaccine manufacturers, and knowledge and experience with domestic and international regulatory practices is extensive. She has led successful multi-year, multi-site, efforts in global health, informing vaccine policy recommendations and catalyzing introductions.

Her research of the past two decades has made major contributions to our understanding of influenza disease and prevention.  This research includes pivotal epidemiologic studies of disease burden, clinical trials of vaccine candidates, and studies that employ influenza vaccine as a probe to better understand immunologic priming and the development of immune responses. Beyond influenza, her vaccine research, including rotavirus, pertussis, and typhoid vaccines, among others, has advanced science and influenced policy. These studies have ranged from designing and executing Phase 1 trials to leading pivotal clinical trials, including large multicenter field studies. She is leading a typhoid vaccine acceleration program, funded by the Gates Foundation, for children in Africa and Asia.  Since joining the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) as Director in 2015, she has served as Co-PI of the Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit and as PI on 3 protocols at present. Also making mentoring a priority, she serves as PI of CVD’s NIAID T32 Training Grant in Vaccinology and as primary mentor on a K01 Award.  She is a board member at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, task force chair at the Infectious Disease Society of America and technical advisor to the World Health Organization.

She has significant experience leading large, multi-partner initiatives, including directing an international research consortium on typhoid conjugate vaccines, and leading multidisciplinary teams at PATH based in the U.S. and overseas, with funding from private foundations and the U.S. government, in addition to complicated collaborative projects on influenza, rotavirus, and Japanese encephalitis vaccines.  These successful initiatives resulted in significant research advances and policy changes.  Her two decades of involvement in domestic and international vaccine policy include membership on CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and past and current advisory positions on World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine policy committees, and she is currently the only U.S. member of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).