Kerry EmpeyView profile
Associate Professor
Kerry Empey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. She serves as the Associate Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Programs and holds secondary appointments in the Department of Immunology, Center for Vaccine Research, and Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in the School of Medicine. Her research focuses on optimizing vaccines and therapies for vulnerable populations, particularly infants and pregnant women, targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other pulmonary pathogens. She directs the Certificate in Clinical Translational Science for health sciences graduate students. Education: PharmD from University of Rhode Island; PhD in Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Kentucky; completed PGY1/PGY2 residencies in Pharmacy Practice and Infectious Diseases at University of Kentucky. Research Interests: Immune response modulation, vaccine adjuvant development, age-dependent immunity, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of monoclonal antibodies, and translational research in pediatric and maternal immunization strategies. Her work emphasizes vaccine safety and efficacy in infants, maternal immunization's protective effects, and understanding cytokine-mediated viral clearance mechanisms. Recent publications highlight advancements in RSV vaccine formulations, maternal immunization strategies, and immune mechanisms driving post-viral bacterial infections. Collaborative studies with vaccine experts and nanotechnology teams explore novel delivery systems for optimal immune responses.











