Vaccines save lives by protecting people against infectious diseases — polio, influenza, and pneumonia to name a few. Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) is working to protect communities through research to continually improve the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for infectious diseases of public health importance.
Central to this work is testing new vaccines against emerging diseases — such as COVID-19. In March 2020, KPWHRI gave the world’s first-ever injection of an investigational vaccine for COVID-19 in a phase 1 clinical trial led by Senior Investigator Lisa A. Jackson, MD, MPH. We continue to be at the forefront of efforts to understand and combat COVID-19.
Successes over 3 decades of KPWHRI vaccine research include:
Our current research projects on vaccines and infectious diseases include:
Kramarz P, DeStefano F, Gargiullo PM, Davis RL, Chen RT, Mullooly JP, Black SB, Shinefield HR, Bohlke K, Ward JI, Marcy MS. Does influenza vaccination exacerbate asthma? Analysis of a large cohort of children with asthma. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9(7):617-23. PubMed
Christakis DA, Mell L, Wright JA, Davis R, Connell FA. The association between greater continuity of care and timely measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Am J Public Health. 2000;90(6):962-5. PubMed
Kramarz P, DeStefano F, Gargiullo PM, Davis RL, Chen RT, Mullooly JP, Black SB, Bohlke K, Ward JI, Marcy MS, Okoro CA. Influenza vaccination in children with asthma in health maintenance organizations. Vaccine. 2000;18(21):2288-94. PubMed
Davis RL. Vaccine extraimmunization--too much of a good thing? JAMA. 2000;283(10):1339-40. PubMed
Chen RT, DeStefano F, Davis RL, Jackson LA, Thompson RS, Mullooly JP, Black SB, Shinefield HR, Vadheim CM, Ward JI, Marcy SM. The Vaccine Safety Datalink: immunization research in health maintenance organizations in the USA. Bull World Health Organ. 2000;78(2):186-94. PubMed
![]() Lisa A. Jackson, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Jennifer C. Nelson, PhDDirector, Biostatistics; Senior Investigator |
![]() Andrea J. Cook, PhDSenior Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Onchee Yu, MSPrincipal Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Robert D. Wellman, MSSenior Collaborative Biostatistician |
![]() Clarissa Hsu, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Brian D. Williamson, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Noorie Hyun, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Pamela A. Shaw, PhD, MSSenior Biostatistics Investigator |
Doug Opel, MD, MPH
University of Washington (UW) Department of Bioethics and Humanities; UW Department of Pediatrics; UW Medical Center
John Dunn, MD, MPH
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington
Elizabeth Lin, MD, MPH
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Family Practice;
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute