Pedro A. Piedra

Pedro A. Piedra, M.D., is a Professor at the Department of Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His primary focus is reducing respiratory virus illness burdens in infants, children, and communities through vaccination programs, particularly targeting influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, and human metapneumovirus. He has pioneered research on live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) and maternal immunization strategies for RSV prevention.

Dr. Piedra holds advanced training from institutions including the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of South Florida. His research includes clinical trials for LAIV efficacy, herd immunity via school-age vaccination, and maternal antibodies against RSV in infants. He leads NIH-funded grants such as the R01 grant on influenza control and NIAID contracts for vaccine evaluation in maternal immunization studies.

His work emphasizes translational research with industry partnerships, including subunit RSV vaccine development and pandemic influenza preparedness. Key contributions include demonstrating LAIV safety in children and identifying protective thresholds for maternal RSV antibodies.