Dr. Kerstin Westritschnig joins IVI as Head of its Austria Country Office.

April 4, 2025, VIENNA, Austria – The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) welcomes Dr. Kerstin Westritschnig as Head of its Austria Country Office. Dr. Westritschnig brings more than two decades of experience in vaccine development and clinical research to IVI’s expanding presence in Europe. She began her role on April 1 and is based in Vienna.

Dr. Westritschnig received her medical degree from the University of Vienna, Faculty of Medicine, where she specialized in clinical immunology. She has served in key leadership positions in the industry sector, including as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development, with a strong focus on vaccine development throughout her career.

In her new position, Dr. Westritschnig will lead strategic initiatives for IVI and engage with stakeholders to enhance the visibility of the Austrian office and strengthen research and development collaborations with researchers and scientists.

Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “We welcome Kerstin Westritschnig to the IVI team and European operations. Her depth of experience in both science and leadership will be invaluable in supporting IVI’s mission of discovering, developing, and delivering vaccines for global health.”

Dr. Westritschnig shared, “It’s a privilege to join IVI and contribute to its vital mission in global health. Collaborating with colleagues and partners across Austria and beyond, we can work together to accelerate vaccine innovation and access.”

The IVI Austria Country Office, located in Vienna, is part of the Europe Regional Office structure and plays a key role in advancing vaccine research and development and capacity-building initiatives in partnership with ministries, research institutions, and industry.

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About the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an independent international organization originally established at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in 1997. Its mission is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines for global health.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines in multiple stages of pre-clinical and clinical development targeting infectious diseases that significantly impact low- and middle-income countries, including cholera, typhoid fever, chikungunya, shigellosis, salmonellosis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV- and group A strep-related diseases, and COVID-19. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine, both pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally co-founded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Ghana, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso. More than 40 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.

CONTACT

Aerie Em, Global Communications & Advocacy Manager
+82 2 881 1386 | aerie.em@www.ivi.int