Robert B. Belshe, MD

Saint Louis University (SLU)

Dr. Belshe directs the NIH funded Saint Louis University Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU). His clinical and laboratory research interests include development of live attenuated respiratory virus vaccines such as RSV, parainfluenza and influenza. Recent clinical projects include evaluation of novel vaccines for influenza, including the live attenuated influenza vaccine available for children and adults age 2-49. Ongoing projects include clinical studies with avian influenza vaccine, the Herpevac Trial for Women; Dr. Belshe is coordinating 50 other academic centers to evaluate a subunit vaccine for HSV2 in women age 18-30. More than 8,300 women are participating in the trial. Past successes include evaluating haemophilus conjugate vaccines in infants, pneumococcal vaccines in infants and adults, demonstrating that smallpox vaccine dilutions could extend the national vaccine reserve by tenfold, evaluation of efficacy of acellular pertussis vaccines in college students, and development of live attenuated vaccine as an improved vaccine for influenza. Collaborations between the Vaccine Center and the Saint Louis University Liver Center led to the first in human studies of a prophylactic vaccine for hepatitis C. The Division of Infectious Diseases and VTEU have significant collaborations beyond the University, including the Midwest Research Center for Excellence for Biodefense Studies. Dr. Sharon Frey has chaired several key studies of new second and third generation smallpox vaccines for the NIH, and she has become nationally known in this area.