Hasbro Children’s Hospital Doctor Receives Distinguished Service Award from Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Penelope Dennehy, MD, director of pediatric infectious diseases at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), the world's largest organization of professionals dedicated to the treatment, control and eradication of infectious diseases affecting children.The PIDS Distinguished Service Award recognizes a Society member who has made an outstanding contribution to the specialty of pediatric infectious diseases and to the Society.

“The impact of Dr. Dennehy’s tireless efforts in preventing childhood illness can be seen most evidently in her actions during the H1N1 flu outbreak. Rhode Island had the highest overall H1N1 vaccination rate in the country, as well as leading the nation in vaccinating children six months through 17 years of age,” said Robert Klein, MD, pediatrician-in-chief at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. “She is beyond deserving of such an award, and we are proud to have her on our team here at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.”

Dennehy received her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine and is board certified in pediatric infectious diseases. She completed her pediatric residency at Rhode Island Hospital and pursued fellowship training in infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Medical Center–Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Dennehy is past president of PIDS and has been involved in the society for more than 20 years.

Dennehy has had extensive experience collaborating and directing many clinical research studies. She founded and directed the clinical virology laboratory at Rhode Island Hospital, where she began her work on rotavirus. Dennehy’s primary areas of research include the study of viral gastroenteritis and viral respiratory diseases. She has been involved in a number of clinical trials of vaccines against rotavirus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus. She has also studied the epidemiology and prevention of rotavirus infections; clinical diagnostic testing for rotavirus; and the epidemiology and etiology of viral gastroenteritis in hospitalized children. She is currently a member of the National Institutes of Health’s Collaborative Antiviral Study Group.

Dennehy has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, written book chapters, and presented many lectures at national and international venues. She is a reviewer for many publications, such as Clinical Infectious Diseases, The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal and Journal of Infectious Diseases. Dennehy also served as a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics RedBook Committee from 2003- 2009. In addition to her contributions to the scientific literature, Dennehy has received numerous accolades for her superior teaching skills including five Dean’s Teaching Excellence Awards from the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

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