Crowe recognized
for pediatric research
Dr. James E. Crowe, Jr., assistant professor of Pediatrics, has been recognized as the 2001 recipient of the Young Investigator Award from the Society for Pediatric Research.
Crowe, honored for his work on defining fundamental mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and immunity associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and immunization, has been at Vanderbilt since November 1995.
The Society for Pediatric Research has given the Young Investigator award since 1983; it is designed to foster the recognition of young physicians who are embarking on a career in investigative pediatrics.
Crowe was nominated by Dr. Kathryn M. Edwards, professor of Pediatrics, who said he had demonstrated excellence in research in the broad areas of virology, immunology, vaccine development, and infectious diseases.
“Jim’s major contributions stem from his work on viral vaccine development and evaluation of neonatal immune responses to experimental vaccines,” Edwards said.
Crowe received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina and later worked in the laboratory of the noted virologist Dr. Robert Chanock at the National Institutes of Health. For five years Crowe conducted basic research on the pathogenesis of RSV and generated over 100 different live attenuated RSV vaccine candidates. Several of these vaccine candidates are currently being tested in Phase I trials being conducted at Vanderbilt and many other vaccine centers in the US, Australia and South Africa.
Crowe is an active teacher, conducting seminars and delivering lectures in the Microbial Topics series for medical students, the Intradisciplinary Graduate Program, the Advanced Virology and Immunology graduate courses and teaching housestaff and students on the wards and clinics.
He has an active lab at Vanderbilt that includes three graduate students (Microbiology and Immunology), three post doctoral fellows, and several undergraduate students.
“I’m honored to have received the award,” Crowe said. “I’m also honored to be in such an active training environment where several of our trainees themselves have been recognized by national awards this year.”
“Jim is a superb clinician and delivers meticulous care to his patients,” said Edwards. “Thus, he is truly a triple academic threat.”