Member Spotlight: Dr. Bill Muller

William (Bill) Muller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University and the Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He is the Scientific Director for Community and Clinical Trials at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Center, the research arm of Lurie Children’s, and from 2013 until this year has served as the Program Director for the Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellowship program.

Dr. Muller’s clinical time is dedicated to leading the Transplant Infectious Diseases service at Lurie Children’s, one of the top pediatric transplant centers in the country, where he also directs the clinical trials team for the ID division.

Serving PIDS and the pediatric ID community has been a priority for Dr. Muller. He has served on the Research Affairs Committee and the Transplant Infectious Diseases Committee. In both roles, he has participated in the St. Jude/PIDS Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Conference, including the immunocompromised host meeting that occurs in combination. He has also recently served on the IDSA Guidelines panel for Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19.

Dr. Muller’s #WhyIamPedID origin story:

My choice of pediatric ID as a career was clearly influenced by the breadth of opportunity, the critical contributions to care that we are able to make, and most importantly the superior collection of colleagues that I have had the privilege to work with during my career.  

During residency, I focused my career path on infectious diseases after having the opportunity to work with several stellar ID physicians, and was particularly influenced by having several rotations with Dr. John Ogle (now retired). I recognized the contribution pediatric ID specialists make in every area of the hospital, not just the oncology ward (my original subspecialty choice), and understood that my host-pathogen interactions research focus and understanding the development of immunity could be fulfilled as well or better with a clinical focus in ID. I recall a particular episode on rounds as an intern at Denver Health: Dr. Ogle challenged the team to tell him why the clinical presentation for every patient on the general pediatrics service couldn’t be explained by tuberculosis; given the wide variety of manifestations this infection can assume, this was (at the time) a surprisingly difficult challenge to meet!

I hope everyone is able to find their own career as fulfilling as I have found mine to be.

Dr. Muller took a non-traditional path to his career. He obtained a PhD in Bioengineering, followed by a short career in the industry before attending Emory University School of Medicine. During his residency at the University of Colorado, he initially considered a research-oriented career in pediatric oncology before choosing ID. A fellowship at the University of Washington/Seattle Children’s led to his current position at Lurie Children’s (formerly Children’s Memorial).

PIDS wants to hear your story too! Share with us at PIDS@idsociety.org or tweet using the hashtag #WhyIamPedID