Natasha Halasa, MD, MPH

Global health Research Interests: COVID, Epidemiology, Pediatrics, Public Health, Vaccinology

Country: Jordan

Dr. Halasa collaborated with Dr. Najwa Khuri-Bulos, a professor and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Jordan University, to investigate the viral burden in young children in Amman, Jordan. During Dr. Khuri-Bulos's visit to Vanderbilt in October 2006, researchers discovered that there was no viral respiratory burden in this region among young children. As a result, Dr. Halasa and Dr. Khuri-Bulos wrote the study protocol, obtained IRB approval from both institutions, and established a respiratory viral surveillance project in January 2007.

Dr. Halasa spent the month in Amman training two study coordinators on how to collect data, obtain clinical specimens, and process those specimens for future shipping to Nashville. The data from this project were later presented as a poster at the International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections meeting in Singapore. A significant finding of this project was the substantial burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among hospitalized children under five years of age; over 60% of the 728 subjects admitted to the hospital tested positive for RSV.

These findings are particularly important in light of potential RSV vaccinations. 

Education

MD, Medical College of Ohio
MPH, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine