Infectious Diseases

Our division is actively involved in the education of both residents and medical students. Our fellows play an integral role in educating these rotating trainees.

Members of our division are involved with clinical investigation of infectious diseases including: Kawasaki Disease, COVID-19, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), Cytomegalovirus, and Hepatitis C.  They have active translational and basic science research programs on the study of viruses (HIV), vaccine development (Lyme and HIV), and how the immune system responds in children (Kawasaki disease and MIS-C).

Our division is involved in the clinical investigation of infectious diseases and in basic science research in bacterial and viral immunology.

Current projects focus on immune responses to HIV, COVID-19, bile acid metabolism, extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing gram-negative organisms and bacteriophages.

Our main areas of research include:

• Global health research: Our faculty are engaged in emergent pathogen research in collaboration with Latin American and South East Asian institutions. Other research projects involve educational interventions for the benefit underserved communities in the area of infectious diseases prevention.
• Kawasaki research (KD): Kawasaki disease is an inflammatory disorder affecting children and resulting in severe cardiac complications. Research in KD is directed to identify the etiology of this condition by immunological and genomic tools.
• Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) vaccine research: Research is directed to explore novel ETEC antigens and vaccine strategies that be advance the development of ETEC vaccines in humans.
• Hepatitis C research: Hepatitis C affect a large number of pregnant women in the US and vertical transmission are leading to an increasing number of newborn babies exposed to Hepatitis C. Research is being conducted to evaluate the rate of Hepatitis C vertical transmission in Western New York area and to design ways to address prevention and therapeutic management of these exposed infants.

We work closely with the bacteriology, virology and molecular diagnostics laboratories on the development and application of new diagnostic tests.

Our division consists of pediatric infectious disease specialists who are available to help manage the complete spectrum of infectious diseases common to children.