Toni Darville, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology at UNC, was recently awarded the 2024 Distinguished Research Award by the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society (PIDS). Dr. Darville is a renowned clinician and investigator whose research focuses on the prevention of Chlamydia trachomatis. The award recognizes a Society member whose outstanding research efforts have had a significant impact on pediatric infectious diseases. Congratulations Toni!

We are excited to welcome to the newest group of fellows/subspecialty residents to UNC Children’s! Our fellowship programs are committed to fostering the development of future generations of physicians and scientists who will go on to improve the health of children in North Carolina and across the globe.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is launching a first-in-human clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of an experimental monoclonal antibody against enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). UNC School of Medicine’s Matthew Vogt, MD, PhD, was a postdoctoral fellow in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at VUMC when he co-led the development of monoclonal antibody therapies against EV-D68.

This five-year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is led by Toni Darville, MD, director of the UNC Children’s Research Institute, in collaboration with scientists at Vaxcyte, Inc. and the University of Chicago.

Tom Belhorn, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has been selected by UNC School of Medicine Medical Alumni to receive the 2024 UNC School of Medicine Distinguished Faculty Award. This award recognizes Dr. Belhorn’s decades of leadership within pediatric infectious disease and his commitment to training the next generation of providers. Belhorn and the other honorees were celebrated at a banquet during Spring Medical Alumni Weekend, on Friday, April 26, at the Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill. Congratulations Tom!

As the World Health Organization pushes to eradicate the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) by 2030, preventing vertical transmission is key, says Peyton Thompson, MD, MSCR, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. But despite widespread availability of effective childhood vaccines, HBV remains endemic throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Catherine O’Connell, PhD was promoted to Professor of Pediatrics effective March 1, 2024. Dr. O’Connell has been a faculty member in Pediatric Infectious Diseases since 2013. Dr. O’Connell received her BA in Microbiology from Dublin University in 1987 and received her PhD in Microbiology from Dublin University in 1993. She joined us at UNC in 2013 as an Assistant Professor from the University of Arkansas Department of Pediatrics.

Xiaojing Zheng, PhD was promoted to Professor of Pediatrics effective February 1, 2024. Dr. Zheng has been a faculty member in Pediatric Infectious Diseases since 2013. Dr. Zheng received her BS in Medicine from Tongji Medical School in Wuhan, China in 1995 and completed a MS in Nephrology from Tongji Medical School in August 2001. She completed a PhD in Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh in June 2007 as well as a PhD in Biostatistics at the University of Pittsburgh in May 2012.

Congratulations to Corinne Keet, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy/Immunology, and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research, and Peyton Thompson, MD, MSCR,
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases, on their election to membership in the Society of Pediatric Research (SPR).

The Society for Pediatric Research encourages and supports pediatric research endeavors by creating a multi-disciplinary network of diverse researchers to improve child health. Collaboration among SPR members creates meaningful progress for the future of children’s health. Active Members are independent researchers conducting hypothesis-driven research in a field related to pediatrics that have been nominated and seconded by SPR members and approved by SPR Council.

Congratulations Corinne and Peyton!

Tom Belhorn, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has been selected by UNC School of Medicine students to be the Fall Convocation and Award Ceremony Lecturer for the 2023 Fall Convocation and Awards Ceremony. Dr. Belhorn will provide a presentation at the ceremony planned for August 16th at 12:30 pm at MBRB building.