JillElizabethWeatherheadMD

Summary

• I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine in the Sections of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Adult Infectious Diseases at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), board certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, pediatric infectious diseases, and adult infectious disease with a sub-specialty certificate in tropical medicine and travelers health. As a physician-scientist, my clinical and scientific work is motivated by my passion and determination to improve the lives of millions of people living in parasite-endemic, poverty-stricken communities around the world. I believe I can best do this by applying my unique clinical and scientific skill set to answer clinically relevant basic scientific questions related to parasite-induced morbidity and to educate and encourage clinicians and scientists to play an active role in their global community. I have developed an active translational research platform that investigates the underlying pathways that cause parasite-induced morbidity in the lungs and that aims to discover interventions that will prevent the development of devastating, life-long disease as a result of parasite infections in children. This work has the potential to advance our current understanding of the parasite-host interface and lead to significant reduction of severe lung morbidity in millions of people globally. I serve as an educator and academic advisor to all levels of medical and scientific trainees. I teach didactically on topics related infectious diseases, tropical medicine and global health as well as lab-based parasitology techniques through the National School of Tropical Medicine (NSTM) at BCM. I provide in-patient and out-patient care at Ben Taub Hospital and the Tropical Medicine Clinic as part of the Harris Country Health System which services uninsured and underinsured residents in Houston, TX.