Division Overview
The Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine diagnoses and treats children with a wide variety of infections. Baylor pediatricians specializing in infectious diseases see patients with conditions ranging from common diseases to life-threatening infections at the four Texas Children's Hospital affiliated campuses. We have two inpatient teams plus a separate transplant infectious disease team at the Texas Medical Center Campus and one full time faculty member each at the West Campus, Woodlands, and North Houston hospitals. We also have outpatient infectious disease clinics (including TB, Transplant ID, Congenital Infection Clinics at the Medical Center Campus) at each facility.
Our faculty also conduct clinical and basic science research to better understand the pathophysiology of pediatric infectious diseases, evaluate new diagnostics/therapeutics, and to identify interventions to prevent disease.
The post-graduate fellowship training program in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Baylor is one component of the largest pediatric department in the United States. We sponsor an ACGME-certified fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases and elective rotations for pediatric residents and medical students.
Our History
The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases was established in 1967 by Dr. Martha Yow. Her leadership and emphasis on patient care, teaching and research established the foundation for the nationally recognized division that exists today. In 1982, Dr. Carol J. Baker was the division chief through 2007, at which time Dr. Sheldon L. Kaplan became the division chief through 2023. In August 2023, Dr. Debra L. Palazzi became the division chief. In 2017, Edward O. Mason, Ph.D. was honored after 45 years as the director of the Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Texas Children's Hospital by having the laboratory renamed the Edward O. Mason Pediatric Infectious Diseases Laboratory.
Over the years, the program has developed into one that trains a large number of pediatric infectious diseases physicians and exemplifies a high standard of excellence in patient care, commitment to teaching, and hypothesis-driven research. Since 1978, more than 90 physicians have been trained in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Many former Baylor Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellows now hold academic positions in more than 30 institutions throughout the United States and several other countries.
Throughout the history of the division, and currently, faculty have served in leadership positions of pediatric and infectious diseases professional societies as well as in advisory positions for the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Catherine Foster received the First Annual Infectious Diseases Shining Star Award at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division Faculty Meeting on July 2, 2025. This award recognizes members of the Infectious Diseases Division who go above and beyond in their roles, positively impacting those they work with and serving as role models of excellence both within and beyond their job responsibilities.
Dr. Foster is an outstanding clinician who serves as an Infectious Diseases attending physician, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program Director, and the Associate Medical Director of Infection Control. She is known for her thoughtful, calm, and respectful demeanor, and she is deeply committed to fostering a supportive and effective learning environment.
A remarkable leader and mentor, Dr. Foster leads the fellowship program with grace and humility. She exemplifies the core values of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital—promoting unity within her team, collaborating across departments, championing inclusivity, and living with compassion. Her tireless dedication to the fellowship program and her colleagues makes her a truly deserving recipient of this honor.
View information and apply for our Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship.