Barbara W. Trautner, MD, PhD joined WashU Medicine as the Co-Chief of the Infectious Diseases (ID) Division and professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine, effective July 1, 2025.
In her role, Dr. Trautner will work closely with Dr. Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD, the Theodore and Bertha Bryan Professor of Medicine and Co-Chief of the basic science research side of the ID Division. Dr. Philips has led this side of the division since 2019, and she is a distinguished physician scientist who studies the molecular biology and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Before accepting the position at WashU, Dr. Trautner was a Professor of Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and a physician at the Houston Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. At the VA, she serves as an investigator in the Houston VA Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt), the Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Clinical Research, and the Director of the Houston VA NODES Cooperative Studies Program.
Dr. Trautner’s research focuses on diagnostic and antibiotic stewardship, particularly for urinary tract infections (UTIs). She has led trials to disseminate successful antibiotic stewardship interventions, improve the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs in men, develop bacteriophage therapy for UTIs in individuals with spinal cord injuries, and to reduce overdiagnosis of catheter-associated UTI. Additionally, she serves as the co-chair of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s Guidelines Committee for UTIs and is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of UTIs, as well as in antimicrobial stewardship and the prevention of antimicrobial resistance. She a passionate educator, and a caring and dedicated clinician who has been a mentor to many medical students, residents, and fellows.
We thank Dr. William Powderly, the J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine, who has led the clinical and translational side of the ID Division since 2013. Dr. Powderly will remain at Washington University to continue leading the Clinical and Translational Science Award and and serve in several other important roles.