Dean
1. Infectious Diseases Research Program, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States
2. Center of Innovation in Long-Term Support Services, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States
3. College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
5. Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Providence, RI
Kingston, RI, United States
Kerry LaPlante, Pharm.D., FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP
Dean, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Dr. LaPlante, serves as dean and tenured professor at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy and an adjunct professor of medicine at Brown University. In addition to her executive leadership roles, she is an internationally recognized pharmacist specializing in antibiotic therapy with over $25 million in grant funding.
LaPlante has extensively researched biofilms and championed optimal antimicrobial use to prevent resistance and enhance patient outcomes. Actively addressing the antimicrobial resistance crisis, she leads statewide initiatives and advises organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PEW Research Center, and The Joint Commission.
A passionate advocate for the pharmacy profession, Dr. LaPlante actively engages with policymakers. She played a pivotal role in establishing the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Stewardship and Environmental Task Force. Under her leadership, her team initiated the Antimicrobial Stewardship Expansion Initiative for the state. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor of Rhode Island appointed her to the COVID-19 vaccine subcommittee. Dr. LaPlante’s professional background spans community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, clinical work, and health maintenance organization settings across New York, Michigan, and Rhode Island.
Dr. LaPlante is an elected fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and a past president of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists. She also serves as a global advisor for industry-based research and development programs and contributes to international initiatives.
A productive scholar, Dr. LaPlante has presented at more than 100 invited lectures worldwide and authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles featured in prestigious journals. In addition, she served as the exclusive pharmacist contributor to the latest American College of Gastroenterology guidelines on Clostridioides difficile treatment, and she authored the leading textbook Antimicrobial Stewardship Principles and Practices.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and a psychology minor from Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, along with a Bachelor of Science in biopharmaceutical sciences and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Her postdoctoral fellowship in infectious diseases pharmacotherapy at Wayne State University set the stage for her impactful career, and her dedication to infectious diseases began while caring for cystic fibrosis and transplant patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Dr. LaPlante finds joy in culinary arts, during leisure time spent entertaining friends and family. A devoted Buffalo Bills fan, she shares these moments with her husband Seth, a Patriots fan, and their young adult children Jace and Katie, all while enjoying the company of their lively poodle Biscuit.
Disclosure(s): AbbVie Inc: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support; Entasis Therapeutics Inc.: Grant/Research Support; MAD-ID: Board Member; Melinta Therapuetics: Grant/Research Support; Pfizer, Inc.: Grant/Research Support; Shionogi, Inc.: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support
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