Anne Gershon, MD, was educated at Smith College and Cornell Medical School. She became Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in 1986. Her research has included epidemiology, diagnosis, immunology, latency, prevention, and treatment of varicella and zoster. Her studies with varicella vaccine of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in leukemic children and adults were critical to its licensure in the US. She has received research funding from NIH to study the growth and pathogenesis of VZV in cell culture, and latency and reactivation of VZV in humans and animal models almost continuously for over 40 years. Dr. Gershon served on the Committee on Infectious Diseases of the American Academy of Pediatrics ("Red Book" Committee) and the Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the CDC. She was a member of the Councils of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society (PIDS). She was president of IDSA in 2008-9. She is the author of over 350 publications and has edited 14 books. She has received many professional awards including Distinguished Women of Smith College, Scientific Achievement Award of the Varicella-Zoster Research Foundation, Distinguished Physician Award of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society, Distinguished Alumnus of Weill Cornell Medical School, Plotkin Vaccinology Award, the Gold medal of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement of the IDSA, and the Lifetime Achievement in Infectious Disease Teaching from the American Academy of Pediatrics. She was awarded an honorary DSc from Smith College in 1993.