Dr. Plotkin is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA and Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Until 1991, he was Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Professor of Virology at the Wistar Institute, and at the same time, Director of Infectious Diseases and Senior Physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1991, Dr. Plotkin left the University to join the vaccine manufacturer Pasteur-Mérieux-Connaught (now Sanofi Pasteur), based in Marnes-la-Coquette, outside Paris, where he held the title of Medical and Scientific Director for seven years.

Dr. Plotkin developed the rubella vaccine now in standard use throughout the world, is co-developer of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine, and has worked extensively on the development and application of other vaccines including anthrax, oral polio, rabies, varicella, and cytomegalovirus. Dr. Plotkin's bibliography includes nearly 800 articles, and he has edited several books including the standard textbook on vaccines – ‘Vaccines’ – now in its 6th edition.

He is a consultant to vaccine manufacturers, biotechnology companies, and non-profit research organizations as principal of Vaxconsult, LLC. Dr. Plotkin attended New York University, where he received a B.A. degree, and the State University of New York Medical School in Brooklyn, where he received an M.D. degree in 1956.

He has been chairman of the Infectious Diseases Committee and the AIDS Task Force of the American Academy of Pediatrics, liaison member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and Chairman of the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research Committee of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Plotkin has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors during his distinguished career.