Kathryn Edwards, MD

Dr. Edwards is an internationally recognized Vanderbilt physician who has made countless contributions to vaccine evaluation and implementation, public health advocacy, and the mentorship and training of new generations of experts in infectious disease.

Dr. Edwards is a native of Williamsburg, Iowa. She earned her medical degree at the University of Iowa School of Medicine and completed residency training and a fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago and postdoctoral training in Immunology at Rush Medical School in Chicago.

She came to Vanderbilt in 1980 and during her career was a pivotal force in the development and evaluation of vaccines for numerous infectious diseases. She led the NIH-funded Vanderbilt Vaccine Trials and Evaluation Unit (VTEU) from 2000 through 2015 and led the CDC-funded New Vaccine Surveillance Network for more than a decade, conducting surveillance for acute respiratory and gastrointestinal infections among children at Vanderbilt. 

In addition, Dr. Edwards directed multicenter clinical vaccine trials and led the CDC-funded Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network that provided guidance on vaccine safety questions for two decades. Her work has had a major impact on public health for children and adults globally.

Dr. Edwards retired in December, 2022, leaving behind a legacy of scientific excellence and a profound impact on public health and vaccine research.