Pennini briefed journalists in January 2024: Do COVID Treatments Need Better Media Coverage?

Meghan Pennini is the Chief Vaccines and Therapeutics Officer in the HHS Coordination Operations and Response Element (H-CORE) at the Administration for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. H-CORE is an organizing entity that coordinates the synchronization of medical countermeasure effort response across the federal government.  In her present role, Meghan led the federal COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics distribution programs including working to ensure fair and equitable distribution of critical COVID-19 medical countermeasures to communities across the country while ensuring preparedness for the changing COVID-19 landscape. She also provides strategic support on research and development of therapeutics and vaccines against any potential health security threat.  Since joining HHS in 2019, Meghan served as a project officer and subject matter expert for the development of medical countermeasures within the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe) where she established programs that addressed innovative approaches for reducing the morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with sepsis. In early 2020, she joined the Operation Warp Speed leadership team to develop and procure critical therapeutics for COVID-19.

Prior to joining BARDA, Meghan’s research focused on host pathogen interactions including the development of therapeutics in both small startup and established biopharmaceutical companies, including development of mono- and multi-specific antibodies targeting multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Meghan received her PhD in Pathology from Case Western Reserve University and completed post-doctoral fellowships at the Institut Pasteur in Paris and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.