Elaine Tuomanen

Elaine Tuomanen

Elaine Tuomanen is a prominent pediatrician and microbiologist known for her research in infectious diseases, particularly those affecting children. Her work has significantly advanced the understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.

Education and Career

Elaine Tuomanen received her medical degree from the University of Rochester and completed her residency in pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She pursued further training in infectious disease research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Tuomanen has held various academic and research positions, including a professorship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She has also been a key figure at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where she has led numerous studies on pneumococcal infections.

Research Contributions

Tuomanen's research has focused on the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium, a major cause of pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media in children. Her studies have elucidated the mechanisms by which this bacterium evades the immune system and causes disease.

One of her notable contributions is the discovery of how pneumolysin, a toxin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, damages host tissues and contributes to the inflammatory response. This work has implications for the development of new vaccines and therapeutics.

Awards and Honors

Elaine Tuomanen has received numerous awards for her contributions to medical research, including the E. Mead Johnson Award for Research in Pediatrics and the American Society for Microbiology's Eli Lilly Award.

Publications

Tuomanen has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters on topics related to infectious diseases and microbiology. Her work is widely cited in the field of pediatric infectious diseases.

External Links

• [St. Jude Children's Research Hospital](https://www.stjude.org)
• [University of Tennessee Health Science Center](https://www.uthsc.edu)