About this episode
Epidemiologist Yvonne “Bonnie” Maldonado is an expert in vaccine research and public health. Look back centuries, and the story is always the same, she says: Death rates from viruses have plummeted, especially in children and the elderly. And yet, millions of children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines need a return of public confidence, and that starts with better messaging and greater support of nongovernmental messengers like herself. The bottom line is that vaccines are safe, she says. Vaccines work and we have saved many lives because of them, Maldonado reminds host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
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Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: Yvonne Maldonado
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Yvonne “Bonnie” Maldonado, a professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University.
(00:03:01) Career in Vaccines
Bonnie shares what led to her career in vaccine research.
(00:04:53) How Vaccines Work
How vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens.
(00:06:46) Why Vaccine Responses Vary
