Irja Lutsar MD, PhD is a Professor in Clinical Microbiology and head of department at the University of Tartu, Estonia. She gained her medical and PhD degree at the University of Tartu, Estonia and is qualified pediatric infectious diseases specialist. In 1995 to 1998 she was a research fellow in paediatric infectious diseases at the Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, USA and in 1999 to 2004 she worked as a director in clinical development at Pfizer Ltd, UK.
Her research interests include antibiotic pharmacokinetics/dynamics, neonatal infections, fungal infections and antibiotic resistance. She has been leading investigator in more than 10 clinical trials in children including studies evaluating pharmacokinetic properties of antibiotics in premature neonates. Irja Lutsar has more than 100 publications in peer reviewed international journals and about 10 book chapters in various areas of the pediatric infectious diseases. She is the member of the Pediatric Committee at the European Medicines Agency and has been active member of ESPID since 1993 being a board member in 2010-2012. She has received numerous research grant at national and international level.