William A. Werbel, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine · Division of Infectious Diseases
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. Werbel is a physician-scientist focused on optimizing protection against infections for immunosuppressed persons, leading clinical trials and national studies of respiratory viral vaccinations for transplant recipients and other immunosuppressed populations.
About Dr. Werbel
William A. Werbel, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with a joint appointment in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He serves as the Associate Director for Epidemiology and Quantitative Sciences in the Johns Hopkins Transplant Research Center.
Dr. Werbel's research focuses on optimizing protection against infections for immunosuppressed persons using a combination of epidemiological and laboratory approaches. He leads clinical trials and national studies of respiratory viral vaccinations for transplant recipients and other immunosuppressed populations.
Following MD training at the University of Michigan and internal medicine residency and chief residency at Northwestern University, he completed fellowships in infectious diseases as well as a PhD in Clinical Investigation at Johns Hopkins. His work bridges clinical practice and translational research to improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable patient populations.
Education & Professional Credentials
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
University of Michigan
PhD in Clinical Investigation
Johns Hopkins University
Internal Medicine Residency & Chief Residency
Northwestern University
Fellowship in Infectious Diseases
Johns Hopkins University
Areas of Expertise
Transplant Infectious Diseases
Specialized care for transplant recipients navigating complex infectious disease risks during immunosuppression.
Pre- and post-transplant infection management
Opportunistic infection prevention
Donor-derived infection risk assessment
Oncology Infectious Diseases
Managing infectious complications in cancer patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapies and treatments.
Infection prevention during chemotherapy
Antimicrobial stewardship in oncology
Post-treatment immune reconstitution
Vaccine Research for Immunosuppressed Populations
Leading clinical trials to optimize vaccination strategies for patients whose immune systems are compromised.
Respiratory viral vaccine clinical trials
Immune response measurement in transplant recipients
National multi-site vaccination studies
Clinical Epidemiology
Applying epidemiological methods to understand and reduce infection risk in vulnerable populations.
Population-level infection surveillance
Risk factor identification and modeling
Outcomes research in immunosuppressed cohorts
Respiratory Viral Infections
Studying respiratory virus transmission, prevention, and treatment in high-risk immunocompromised patients.
COVID-19, influenza, and RSV in transplant patients
Antiviral treatment optimization
Prophylaxis and infection control strategies
Translational Laboratory Research
Bridging bench-to-bedside research to develop improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for immunosuppressed patients.
Immune correlates of vaccine protection
Serological and cellular immune profiling
Biomarker development for infection risk
What You'll Learn
Vaccination Strategies for Immunosuppressed Patients
Evidence-based approaches to optimizing vaccine timing, dosing, and selection for transplant recipients and cancer patients with compromised immune systems.
Understanding Immune Response After Treatment
How cancer therapies affect the immune system's ability to fight infections, and what survivors need to know about immune reconstitution and long-term protection.
Infection Prevention in Cancer Care
Practical strategies for reducing infectious complications during and after cancer treatment, including prophylaxis, screening, and early intervention approaches.
Latest Clinical Trial Insights
Emerging findings from national vaccination studies and clinical trials that are shaping the future of infection prevention for immunocompromised populations.
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