Originally published on Cornerstone, the CHOP Research Blog

I conducted this interview, transcribed and edited the Q&A, and wrote the introduction.

Excerpt:

Pediatric infectious disease specialists, the doctors who specialize in wiping out microbial and other infections in children, are a dedicated bunch. These physicians work at the front lines of diseases new and old, as well as protecting against complications from other medical interventions.

Last month, members of this profession honored Theoklis E. Zaoutis, MD, MSCE, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as an exemplary leader in their midst with the Distinguished Service Award from the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). This award, presented at the Society’s annual IDWeek meeting, recognizes a member who has made an outstanding contribution to the specialty of pediatric infectious diseases.

On the occasion of this recognition, Cornerstone sat down with Dr. Zaoutis, who is also director of the Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness Research at CHOP and Thomas Frederick McNair Scott Professor of pediatrics and professor of epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. We wanted to know what is hot in the field of pediatric infectious disease research and what lies ahead. Read on for the edited conversation.