Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi is a globally recognized vaccinologist and Senior Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, where she also co-directs the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. With over two decades of experience advancing vaccines for neglected tropical diseases, she has led several from lab research to phase 2 clinical trials using the product development partnership model. Born in Italy and raised in Honduras, Dr. Bottazzi is a leading global health advocate and the recipient of numerous national and international honors. She currently serves as an Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine with the National Academies and contributes to global regulatory and scientific advisory efforts.