Ann M. Reed, MD, Samuel L. Katz Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and physician-in-chief of Duke Children’s, recently announced that Michael Smith, MD, MS, has been named interim chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics, effective July 1, 2021.
Dr. Smith is currently a professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics and medical director of the pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program. His research focuses on the appropriate use of antibiotics in children, with a specific emphasis on the outpatient setting.
Dr. Smith will be succeeding William Steinbach, MD, who has served as chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases since 2016. Dr. Steinbach has elected to step down as chief to dedicate more effort to his new role as vice chair or research and his clinical and research interests focused on the molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of invasive aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, a leading killer in patients with cancer or following transplantation.