The Washington University Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit ( ID-CRU) is known for its expertise and is well established in the community. Led by Rachel Presti, MD, PhD, the ID-CRU provides access to general Infectious Diseases research opportunities, community outreach and education. Our lead faculty in these areas are:

Portrait of Andrew Atkinson, PhD

Andrew Atkinson, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Dr. Atkinson is a biostatistician providing project-based and ad hoc consultancy in the division. His methodological research includes developing methods for handling missing data in clinical trials and for observational data, novel clinical trial design methods, trial emulation and Bayesian modelling.

Portrait of Ishmael D. Aziati, PhD

Ishmael D. Aziati, PhD

Instructor of Medicine

Dr Aziati specializes in the use of integrated approaches to control and prevent emerging vector-borne and zoonotic viral diseases, with a special focus on pathogen surveillance and developing therapeutic interventions.

Portrait of Philip J. Budge, MD, PhD

Philip J. Budge, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Dr. Budge specializes in translational, public health-related research, with a special focus on filarial infections—insect-borne threadlike parasitic worms that cause lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), and loiasis (African eye worm).

Michael Diamond, MD, PhD, is photographed in the McDonnell Pediatric Research Building on April 5, 2021. MATT MILLER/WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD

The Herbert S. Gasser Professor, Departments of Medicine, Molecular Microbiology, Pathology & Immunology

Michael Diamond, MD, PhD is the leader of a basic and translational research laboratory studying the interface between viral pathogenesis and host immunity. His laboratory focuses on emerging RNA viruses including flaviviruses, alphaviruses, and coronaviruses.

Portrait of Conor Grant, MD, PhD

Conor Grant, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Dr. Grant specializes in the innate immune responses to the pathogens causing Tuberculosis (TB), Nontuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) and COVID-19 infections, and his laboratory research includes the search for novel therapies targeting the host for these difficult infections.

Jeffrey P. Henderson, MD, PhD

Jeffrey P. Henderson, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology

Dr. Henderson specializes in infection pathogenesis, with a special focus on urinary tract infections and identifying how special bacterial adaptations increase pathogenic potential in patients.

Portrait of Michael J. Hendrix, MD

Michael J. Hendrix, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Dr. Hendrix specializes in antimicrobial stewardship and clinical infectious disease with a special focus on COVID-19 and bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients.

Jenny Hyde, PhD

Jenny Hyde, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Dr. Jenny Hyde leads and performs basic research centered on virus-host interactions. Her work combines molecular virology and RNA biology to uncover the mechanisms by which viral RNA structures regulate RNA-protein interactions, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets and advancing antiviral and vaccine development.

Rachel Presti, MD, PhD

Rachel M. Presti, MD, PhD

Professor, Infectious Diseases | Medical Director of the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit (IDCRU)

Dr. Presti specializes in clinical and translational research in infectious disease, with a special focus on HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and other viral infections.

Clinical Trials

COVID-19 STUDIES