Internationally recognized infectious disease expert Dr. Octavio Ramilo was named chair of the department of infectious diseases at Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a hospital statement announced.
As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Ramilo's main area of research focuses on respiratory syncytial virus — its pathogenesis, effects on young children and treatment options.
"Dr. Ramilo's research explores the long-term impact of early RSV infections on the development of children's immune systems and how they will respond to other infections as they grow," according to St. Jude. "He is heavily involved in translational and clinical research aimed at understanding the host immune response to infections and vaccines using genomics and system analysis tools."
Previously, Dr. Ramilo was the division chief of infectious diseases at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
St. Jude said it started the process of recruiting Dr. Ramilo prior to this winter's RSV surge in hospitals throughout the U.S., but hospital leaders said the outbreak underscores the need for more research into this disease.
Dr. Ramilo said he looks forward to continuing his research in the pediatric infectious disease field, including RSV's long-term impact on children's immune systems and how contracting the disease early might affect how children will respond to other infections in the future.
"He is heavily involved in translational and clinical research aimed at understanding the host immune response to infections and vaccines using genomics and system analysis tools," the release said.