Vaccines and the Prevention of Bacterial Sepsis
Includes a Live Web Event on 11/06/2025 at 11:00 AM (PST)
Description:
Date: Thursday, November 6, 2025
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET / 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PT
Sepsis remains a critical public health concern, often stemming from common bacterial infections that can often be prevented. This informative webinar explores the essential role vaccines play in reducing the prevalence and burden of bacterial sepsis. By examining the most common bacterial causes and the science behind vaccine development, this presentation highlights how immunization strategies disrupt the pathways that lead to severe infection. Attendees will also gain insight into the rigorous processes that ensure vaccine safety and effectiveness in the fight against life-threatening illness, as well as key factors influencing vaccine confidence and hesitancy.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the activity, the learner should be able to:
- Describe why vaccines are important for preventing sepsis
- Identify the major bacterial pathogens causing sepsis
- Review principles of vaccinology, bacterial vaccine development, and safety monitoring
Target Audience:
Nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, emergency responders, pharmacists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, physical/occupational therapists, infection prevention specialists, data/quality specialists, and more.
Webinar Supporters:
This activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from Sanofi US.
Sepsis Alliance gratefully acknowledges the support provided for this webinar by the Sepsis Alliance Institute sponsors.
Robert Donald, PhD
Retired Research Microbiologist
Robert Donald, PhD, is a research microbiologist with broad experience in bacterial, viral, and eukaryotic parasitic systems. While a senior research fellow at Merck, he contributed to drug discovery programs to identify new antibiotics to prevent S. aureus, antifungal, and parasitic infections. More recently, while a senior director at Pfizer, he led a preclinical vaccine development program targeting Klebsiella and E. coli invasive infections. Prior to this, he was also the scientific lead for preclinical programs advancing C. difficile, Enterococcus, and Group B Streptococcus vaccines, while managing supporting molecular biology and assay development teams.
Robert became motivated to assist with Sepsis Alliance’s mission due to his “firsthand” experience with the invasive bacterial pathogens that cause sepsis, and familiarity with emerging therapeutic or vaccine-based strategies currently under development in academia and biotech/pharma sectors. Now retired from commercial R&D, he seeks to contribute scientifically through advising and educating. In addition to serving on the Sepsis Alliance Advisory Board, he is consultant to Carb-X, whose mission is to fund research to develop new therapies and vaccines to address antimicrobial drug resistance.
Robert is a graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz, and did post-doctoral research at the University of California Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania.
Accreditation Statements
Sepsis Alliance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Sepsis Alliance designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17068 for 1.2 contact hours.
Other healthcare professionals will receive a certificate of attendance for 1.0 contact hours.
Financial Relationship Disclosures:
Robert Donald disclosed the following relevant financial relationship:
- Former employee, Pfizer
All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.
All other individuals in control of content disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Medical Disclaimer
The information on or available through this site is intended for educational purposes only. Sepsis Alliance does not represent or guarantee that information on or available through this site is applicable to any specific patient’s care or treatment. The educational content on or available through this site does not constitute medical advice from a physician and is not to be used as a substitute for treatment or advice from a practicing physician or other healthcare professional. Sepsis Alliance recommends users consult their physician or healthcare professional regarding any questions about whether the information on or available through this site might apply to their individual treatment or care.