People in global health news
May / June 2022 | Volume 21 Number 3
Nkengasong confirmed as PEPFAR lead
Dr. John Nkengasong was confirmed as the Director of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Nkengasong previously led the Africa CDC. Originally from Cameroon, he is an esteemed virologist with over 30 years of experience in global health and will be the first person of African origin to lead the PEPFAR program.
Former Fellow, DS-I Africa grantee named to TIME100
TIME has named former Fogarty fellow, Dr. Sikhulile Moyo of the Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, and DS-I Africa grantee, Professor Tulio de Oliviera of the Stellenbosch University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, to its annual list of the most influential people in the world for their discovery of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
Former congressman, Fogarty advocate, dies
The Honorable John Edward Porter died on June 3, 2022. He was 87 years old. He founded and co-chaired the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, co-authored legislation creating Radio Free Asia, and served as chairman of the Global Legislators Organized for a Balanced Environment, known as GLOBE USA. Most recently, Edwards served as Research!America's chair emeritus.
Global health community mourns loss of Stephen Blount
A former director of the CDC Office of Global Health, Blount's work with the CDC included the Polio Plus Initiative which reduced the number of polio-endemic countries from 41 in 1997 to four in 2010 and the Global Measles Partnership, an effort that reduced measles mortality worldwide by 39 percent between 1999 and 2010.
Duke names new Global Health Director
Dr. Christopher Beyer was named Director of Duke's Global Health Institute. Beyer previously served as president of the International AIDS Society, advisor to the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and NIH's Office of AIDS Research, among many others. He will officially assume his role at Duke on August 30.
Virologist responsible for rotavirus discovery passes away
Australian virologist Dr. Ruth Bishop, credited with discovering rotavirus in 1973, passed away on May 12. Her discovery led to widespread rotavirus vaccination, saving the lives of thousands of children globally. Bishop chaired several WHO committees and is cited as a significant influence on Bill and Melinda Gates in establishing their foundation.
Fogarty staff receive HHS Distinguished Service Award
Two Fogarty staff members received the HHS Secretary Award for Distinguished Service for their work with the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative group. Dr. Nalini Anand, Director of the Center for Global Health Studies and the Division of International Science Policy, Planning and Evaluation, oversees scholarship in global health science and policy.
Dr. Marya Levintova, Program Director for the Division of International Training and Research, oversees grants in several of Fogarty’s programs including NCD-Lifespan and the Global Trauma and Injury Research Training Program. RADx, an NIH initiative, speeds innovation in the development and implementation of COVID-19 testing technologies.
Updated June 15, 2022
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