Update Your ProfileAcademic Title:
Professor
Primary Appointment:
Medicine
Secondary Appointment(s):
Pediatrics
Administrative Title:
Division Head, Geographic Medicine; Director for the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health
Additional Title:
Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH Professor in Vaccinology and Director, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health
Location:
HSF I 480G
Phone (Primary):
410-706-4946
Fax:
410-706-6205
Education and Training
- University of Maryland (summa cum laude), B.S., Zoology, 1983
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society), 1987
- Residency, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, 1987-1991
- Fellowship, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, 1991-1994
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, M.P.H., 1998
Biosketch
- Kathleen Neuzil is the Myron M. Levine Professor in Vaccinology, Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, and the Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She is an internationally recognized research scientist and advocate in the field of vaccinology. Throughout her career, Dr. Neuzil has conducted clinical and epidemiologic studies on vaccine-preventable diseases, yielding high-profile publications that inform policy decisions and public health actions. Dr. Neuzil’s work has spanned dozens of low-resource countries with multiple vaccines, including influenza, rotavirus, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid conjugate vaccines, and most recently, COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Neuzil is central to the domestic and global response to COVID. As a co-PI of the NIH-funded Leadership Group for the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit network, Dr. Neuzil is part of the strategic team evaluating COVID vaccines and therapeutics in the US and was part of the study team who designed the first COVID-19 clinical vaccine trial in the US. The CVD is likewise participating in COVID treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis trials. Dr. Neuzil also directs TyVAC, the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium, with the goal to accelerate the introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines into low-resource countries. She has more than 230 scientific publications on vaccines and infectious diseases. Dr. Neuzil's research capabilities are complimented by 20 years of involvement in domestic and international policy, including past membership on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. She is a member of the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization and is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine.
Research/Clinical Keywords
Global public health, infectious diseases, vaccine access and delivery, vaccine safety, rotavirus, pandemic influenza, immunization, maternal immunization, diarrheal diseases, maternal child health, reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases, COVID-19, vaccinology, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid conjugate vaccines, TyVAC
Highlighted Publications
- Patel PD, Patel P, Liang Y, Meiring JE, Misiri T, Mwakiseghile F, Tracy JK, Masesa C, Msuku H, Banda D, Mbewe M, Henrion M, Adetunji F, Simiyu K, Rotrosen E, Birkhold M, Nampota N, Nyirenda OM, Kotloff K, Gmeiner M, Dube Q, Kawalazira G, Laurens MB, Heyderman RS, Gordon MA, Neuzil KM; TyVAC Malawi Team. Safety and Efficacy of a Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine in Malawian Children. N Engl J Med. 2021 Sep 16;385(12):1104-1115. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2035916. PMID: 34525285; PMCID: PMC8202713.
- Deming ME, Michael NL, Robb M, Cohen MS, Neuzil KM. Accelerating Development of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines - The Role for Controlled Human Infection Models. N Engl J Med. 2020 Sep 3;383(10):e63. PubMed PMID: 32610006.
- Follmann D, Fintzi J, Fay MP, Janes HE, Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Fleming TR, Mehrotra DV, Carpp LN, Juraska M, Benkeser D, Donnell D, Fong Y, Han S, Hirsch I, Huang Y, Huang Y, Hyrien O, Luedtke A, Carone M, Nason M, Vandebosch A, Zhou H, Cho I, Gabriel E, Kublin JG, Cohen MS, Corey L, Gilbert PB, Neuzil KM. A Deferred-Vaccination Design to Assess Durability of COVID-19 Vaccine Effect After the Placebo Group Is Vaccinated. Ann Intern Med. 2021 Apr 13. doi: 10.7326/M20-8149. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33844575.
Research Interests
Dr. Neuzil's research focuses on vaccine development and introduction in under-developed areas. She works on a variety of vaccines, including influenza, typhoid, and COVID-19, as well as on cross-cutting issues such as maternal immunization, optimizing vaccine use, and overcoming barriers to sustainable vaccine uptake in low resource settings. Dr. Neuzil is central to the domestic and global response to COVID-19.
Her capabilities range from epidemiology and clinical trials to expertise in vaccine research and development, partnerships with vaccine manufacturers, and domestic and international health policy.
Awards and Affiliations
- The Myron M. Levine, MD Professorship in Vaccinology (Endowed Professorship), University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2019
- National Academy of Medicine; Member 2019-present
- Chair, Pandemic Influenza Task Force, Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) 2005-2008; Member 2008-present
- Member, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006-2010 (Chair, Influenza Vaccine Working Group, 2008-2010; Chair, Vaccines in Pregnancy Working Group 2006-2008)
- PATH Vision Award in the Advancing Global Health Category for the Cervical Cancer Prevention Project, 2009
- Joseph E. Smadel lectureship, IDSA Annual Meeting, Vancouver, CA, 2010
- Member of the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
- 2020 Baltimore Sun Marylander of the Year Awardee
- 2020 Fierce Pharma "The 22 Most Influential People in the Fight Against COVID-19"
- 2021 Sonia Skarlatos Public Service Award from the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy
- 2021 Annual Boy Scouts of Central Maryland Health Services Leadership Award for Outstanding Service
- VRC Scientific Advisory Panel, NIH, 2020 - Present
- WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccine & RSV Biologicals Technical Advisory Group, 2020 - Present
- Co-Director of COVID-19 Prevention Network, 2020 - Present
Grants and Contracts
11/01/21 – 10/31/25 (PI)
“Accelerating Access to Typhoid Conjugate Vaccines” (TyVAC 2.0)
Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Total Award Amount: $17,255,627
09/11/17-03/31/22 (Protocol PI)
“A Phase II Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of a Single Dose of Tdap on Infant Immune Responses in Pregnant Women in a Low-Middle Income Country”
NIAID Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit, 16-0024
Total Direct Costs: $3,807,592
07/01/18-06/30/23 (Contact PI)
“Fellowship Training Program in Vaccinology” T32 Grant
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), T32AI007524
Total Direct Costs: $1,594,640
09/16/19-09/15/26 (Contact PI)
“Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) Component C: Clinical Core”
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), 75N93019C00055
Total Direct Costs: $10,210,221
12/05/19-11/30/26 (Co- PI, Multi-PI Award) Contact PI: David Stephens, Emory
“Leadership Group for Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC)”
NIH, NIAID, 1UM1AI148684-01
Total Direct Costs: $2,372,307
In the News
Dr. Neuzil is regularly interviewed and quoted as a vaccine expert.
Recent news includes:
- CBS KNX In Depth with Charles & Mike KNX In Depth: New Data From The CDC Shows The Delta COVID Variant Is Not To Be Messed With -- Children Sick With COVID Fill Up ICU Wards In Arkansas
- CNN Interview with Ana Cabrera: CVD's Dr. Kathy Neuzil speaks to CNN about latest on delta variant and need for boosters.
- WSJ Unlike Clinical Trials, New Covid-19 Study Needed Only a Few Volunteers
- CVD's Dr. Kathleen Neuzil talks to the Wall Street Journal about human challenge COVID-19 vaccine studies
- Dr. Kathleen Neuzil talks about a COVID-19 vaccine made by China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals with Science.
- Dr. Kathleen Neuzil discusses questions patients should ask their doctors about COVID vaccines with U.S. News & World Report
- NEJM-published research that finds typhoid vaccines safe and effective in Blantyre, Malawi, Voice of America.
Professional Activity
Dr. Kathleen Neuzil have over 25 years of experience in infectious diseases and vaccine science, policy & leadership. Her capabilities range from proficiency in epidemiology and clinicals trials to expertise in vaccine research & development, partnerships with developing country vaccine manufacturers, & knowledge & experience with domestic & international regulatory practices. Dr. Neuzil's vaccine research on influenza, 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 and cluster-randomized trial.
Based on Dr. Neuzil's broad influenza and vaccine experience, she was selected as co-director of the Coronavirus Prevention Network (CoVPN), a network of NIH-funded sites who participated in the US-supported Phase 3 trials of Covid-19 vaccines. As such, she is part of the strategic team evaluating COVID vaccines and therapeutics in the US, being involved in the conception, design, execution, analysis, and interpretation of these studies. She serves as an ad hoc member of the ACIP working group on SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and as a scientific advisor for the Oxford University on their ChimpAd vectored-coronavirus vaccine program. As a member of SAGE, she advises the WHO on use of COVID-19 vaccines as data become available.
Dr. Neuzil's research and leadership capabilities are complimented by over two decades of involvement in domestic & international vaccine policy, including membership on CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and past & current advisory positions on World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine policy committees. She is currently a member of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
Dr. Kathy Neuzil has a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of vaccine scientists & leaders. This includes formal academic mentorship & participation on masters & PhD dissertation committees. She currently serves as Contact PI (Multi PI mechanism) of the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health's NIAID T32 Training Grant in Vaccinology, as primary mentor on a K01 Award, & on the K committees for two other awardees. Beyond these specific trainee-focused grants, Dr. Neuzil works with trainees at all levels in my research. As PI or Co-PI of large multicenter initiatives funded by NIH & the Gates Foundation, she actively seeks opportunities for trainees.