Maria Elena Bottazzi | Co-Director of Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development
Baylor College of Medicine
Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi is an internationally recognized tropical and emerging disease vaccinologist, global health advocate and cocreator of a patent-free, open science COVID-19 vaccine technology that led to the development of Corbevax in India and IndoVac in Indonesia, and with approximately 100 million doses delivered. She pioneers and leads the advancement of a robust infectious and tropical disease vaccine portfolio tackling diseases such as coronavirus, hookworm, schistosomiasis, and Chagas that affect disproportionally the world’s poorest populations. She also has established innovative partnerships in Latin America, Middle East and Southeast Asia, making significant contributions to innovative educational & research programs, catalyze policies and disseminate science information to reach a diverse set of audiences. She is a former Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar from the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM), a Leshner Leadership Institute Public Engagement Fellow in Infectious Diseases of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Fellow. As global thought-leader she has received national and international highly regarded awards, has more than 250 scientific papers and participated in more than 300 conferences worldwide. In 2023, she was awarded the Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare and the Rachael Schneerson - John Robbins Prize. For three years in a row, Forbes selected Dr. Bottazzi as one of 100 Most Powerful Women in Central America. In 2022, alongside Dr. Peter Hotez, she was nominated by Texas Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher for the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Bottazzi obtained her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Honduras and a doctorate in Molecular Immunology and Experimental Pathology from the University of Florida. Her post-doctoral training in Cellular Biology was completed at University of Miami and Pennsylvania, where afterwards worked at the George Washington University prior to relocating to Texas.
Appearances:
Day 2 - Wednesday 15th October @ 09:00
Rethinking Global Health Threats and Responses: H5N1, Mpox, Measles, Marburg, Climate, Zoonoses, and Emerging Risks
- Pandemic vs. endemic priorities: What’s missing from the global agenda? – Are we too fixated on future pandemics while ignoring the growing threats of endemic infectious diseases (e.g., TB, dengue, H5N1)?
- Climate-driven disease risks: Are we accurately predicting which pathogens will surge due to climate change? (e.g., vector-borne diseases like malaria vs. less-discussed threats). How can we better anticipate less obvious threats?
- How should we be investing in surveillance and R&D? – What innovations (AI, genomics, forecasting) actually have the potential to get ahead of the next crisis?
- How do we ensure that disease prioritisation is driven by science, not politics? – What structural and policy shifts are needed to avoid repeating past mistakes?
- Are we adequately investing in diagnostic capabilities for future threats, or are we overly focused on vaccines and treatments? How can improved diagnostic strategies enhance our ability to detect and respond to emerging threats quickly?
- How can we improve international collaboration in disease surveillance, research, and response while addressing geopolitical challenges and ensuring equitable access to resources?
Day 3 - Thursday 16th October @ 12:45
Combination Vaccines as Equity Accelerators: Can Co-Administration Ease the Burden on Health Systems?
- Exploring the scientific, clinical, and operational benefits of vaccine co-formulation for equity, efficacy, and broader protection – what diseases cluster geographically (e.g., schiso & dengue?)
- Challenges in developing compatible combination vaccines; ensuring immunogenic compatibility
- Case study: Measles/MPOX in Gaza, heat-stable malaria/hookworm combos, mRNA vaccine co-administration and implications for future NTD combinations
- Health system resilience, reducing immunisation burdens to enhance vaccine access in resource-limited settings
- Economic insights and equity considerations from LMIC perspective – how can combination vaccines cut delivery costs by 30-40%?
Day 3 - Thursday 16th October @ 13:45
Vaccine Policy in Polycrisis: Sustaining Immunisation Access Under Pressure
- Translating WHO guidelines into rapid, flexible decision-making
- Effective health system triage during chronic collapse
- Maintaining vaccine funding amid geopolitical disruptions: insights from EU budget cuts, US-Gulf state bridging finance, and UAE crisis funding mechanisms.
- Practical innovations in crisis vaccine delivery
- Accelerating R&D and policy adaptations under crisis conditions
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