Kate O'Brien

Katherine "Kate" L. O'Brien (born 1963) is a Canadian American pediatric infectious disease physician, epidemiologist, and vaccinologist who specializes in the areas of pneumococcal epidemiology, pneumococcal vaccine trials and impact studies, and surveillance for pneumococcal disease. She is also known as an expert in infectious diseases (including pneumonia and diarrheal diseases) in American Indian populations. O'Brien is currently the Director of the World Health Organization's Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.

Early life and education O'Brien was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She grew up in Ottawa, in the province of Ontario, and graduated from Lisgar Collegiate Institute in 1980.

In 1984, O'Brien earned a BSc in chemistry from the University of Toronto. In 1988, O'Brien received an MD from McGill University at the age of 25 years old. In 1994, O'Brien received an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health focused on International Public Health/International Health while also doing a two-year training program in pediatric infectious diseases. O'Brien and colleague Joel Selanikio (from the CDC) discovered the children had been exposed to liquid acetaminophen Afebril and Valodon manufactured by Pharval that was contaminated with almost 25% diethylene glycol (DEG), a poison. It was later discovered that there was contamination in the supply chain tracing back to a Chinese manufacturer.

In July 1998, O'Brien joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, eventually becoming a Professor of International Health and Epidemiology and Executive Director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In this role, she is responsible for leading the overall work and strategy of the Department to advance the vision of reducing the health, social and economic burden of vaccine preventable diseases. The Director works across all levels of WHO (country, region and headquarters) in collaboration with partners to deliver country impact.

She has worked in close partnerships with GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, university colleagues, NGOs, and with countries to advance programs and policies on child health.

Personal life O'Brien is married to an adult infectious disease physician who specializes in HIV/AIDs, who she met while working in Haiti. They have a daughter and a son.

Leadership 2012-2018: WHO, Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for American Indian Health, Senior Advisor, Infectious Disease

Awards 1997: Food and Drug Administration, Group Recognition Award for meritorious service in the investigation of an international public health crisis which was associated with the contamination of pharmaceuticals by diethylene glycol 1997: CDC, Group Honor Award for The Haiti Emergency Response Team 1997: CDC, Donald C. Mackel Memorial Award for "Epidemic of Deaths from Acute Renal Failure Among Children in Haiti" 1998: United States Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary's Distinguished Service Award 1999: CDC, James H. Nakano Citation for "Epidemic of Pediatric Deaths from Acute Renal Failure Caused by Diethylene Glycol Poisoning" 2001: CDC, Honor Award for outstanding scientific contributions to public health, Group B Streptococcal Prevention Team 2003: CDC, Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Public Health Award (nominee) 2008: Sabin Vaccine Institute, Young Investigator Award 2011: National Institutes of Health, President's Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) 2013: Robert Austrian Award and Lectureship 2014: International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-9), Robert Austrian Lecturer 2015: Maryland Women's Hall of Fame

Selected works and publications