Dr. Karen Elkins serves as Senior Investigator and Supervisory Research Biologist at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). She and her research team not only review new bacterial vaccines to determine whether they should be approved for general use, but also carry out related research studies at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Elkins, an international expert in infectious disease immunology, is at the forefront of researching how the body’s immune system protects against disease-causing bacteria. Such knowledge in turn helps suggest better ways to design and test new vaccines.

The author of nearly 100 research articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, Elkins is also a member of several journal editorial boards, including the Journal of Immunology and Infection and Immunity, and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for a wide range of scientific journals.