Dolly Parton Donates $1 Million to Pediatric Infectious Disease Research at VUMC

Dolly Parton, the country music legend and philanthropist, is donating $1 million to pediatric infectious disease research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, another transformative gift aimed to help in the fight against serious infectious diseases such as coronavirus that have worldwide ramifications.

Ongoing research in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases includes understanding how viruses and bacteria cause disease, understanding and preventing resistance to antibiotics, preventing and treating infections, diagnosing and treating infections in children with cancer and research to define the impact of childhood infections throughout the world.

“We are deeply honored by Dolly’s contribution to our research mission,” said Mark Denison, MD, professor of Pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “For over 40 years our division has been a national and international leader in studies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of life-threatening infections, and this gift will accelerate our work and support new ideas.”

Read more about the gift in this article from the VUMC Reporter.

Dolly Parton and longtime friend, Naji Abumrad, MD. (photo courtesy of Dolly Parton)