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In this episode, Jeremy Farrar, FRS, of the World Health Organization (WHO), joins new hosts Rebecca Alvania, PhD, MA, MPH, and Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, for an insightful conversation on the power of science, the importance of community, and the urgent need for trust and collaboration in an increasingly polarized world. Drawing on decades of experience—from the early days of HIV/AIDS to pandemic preparedness, vaccine development, and global health leadership—Dr. Farrar shares personal lessons on failure, leadership under pressure, and why optimism, humility, and inclusion are essential to shaping the future of public health.

Show Notes

A physician-scientist, international health leader, and advocate, Dr. Farrar’s work has spanned HIV/AIDS, research on avian influenza, and leadership at Wellcome, where he helped guide the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He now serves as assistant director-general of health promotion and disease prevention and control at WHO, providing leadership on infectious and noncommunicable diseases, health promotion, food safety, and the health impacts of environmental change. In 2019, NFID honored him with the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to global public health.

Transcript

Alvania:

Welcome to the NFID podcast, Infectious IDeas. This is Rebecca Alvania, NFID CEO, and with me is my co-host, NFID Medical Director, Dr. Bob Hopkins.

Hopkins:

Hey, happy to be here, Rebecca.

Alvania:

Our guest today is Dr. Jeremy Farrar. He serves as the World Health Organization's Assistant Director-General of health promotion and disease prevention and control. Many of you know him for his groundbreaking work on infectious diseases with pandemic potential. He's also held major leadership roles, including director of the Welcome Trust and co-founder of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the global effort to speed vaccine development and ensure access worldwide. In 2019, NFID honored him with the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award. It recognized his impact on global public health and his commitment to making the world a more equitable place.

Jeremy, thank you so much for joining us.

Farrar:

Great pleasure.

Alvania:

All right, we're going to start at the beginning. You began your career working in HIV AIDS. How did those early experiences shape you as a scientist?

Farrar:

That would have been in the late 1980s and of course, that was the time that HIV was becoming known about. And I do remember—I was a medical student, and soon after graduating—just the impact this had. I was working in London at the time, and medical students and doctors had got used to the idea that many things were treatable, and then suddenly you had mostly young individuals coming in. And frankly, there was very little anybody could do. Obviously, we didn't know what the cause was, and that was devastating, actually.

But also on the positive side, as a result of great science and great public health, some solutions did start to come, and I pay huge tribute to the community who were then known to be living with HIV, because the role they played in pushing science and pushing public health was, I think, absolutely groundbreaking. And I'm not sure the establishment would have got there quite the way it did without that pressure from the community.

So, three lessons: one, is the devastating impact of something new, in this case, HIV. Secondly, the incredible power of science. And thirdly, the critical importance of communities being part of engag

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In this episode, Vin Gupta, MD, MPA, a pulmonary and critical care physician and medical analyst with NBC News and MSNBC, joins hosts Marla Dalton, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, for a compelling conversation about his path from the intensive care unit to the national stage, and why creating impact beyond the bedside has become his mission. From confronting misinformation to advancing early detection and bridging health, technology, and policy, Gupta shares candid insights on leadership, effective communication, and the future of public health.

A fond farewell to our current hosts—Marla Dalton and Bill Schaffner—in this final episode before new hosts join the podcast.

Show Notes

As managing director of healthcare innovation at Manatt, Gupta is a leading expert bridging the worlds of clinical care, technology, and effective communication. He previously served in several roles at Amazon and Google, is a Major in the US Air Force Reserve, and has earned degrees from Princeton, Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Cambridge. Gupta is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the National Board of Directors of the American Lung Association. He currently lives in Seattle, WA, with his wife, who is a practicing pediatrician, and their 2 young boys.

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In this episode, Anne Schuchat, MD, former US Assistant Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leader, joins Marla Dalton, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, for a candid conversation about her extraordinary career in public health. From the AIDS crisis to leading CDC responses to anthrax, SARS, and H1N1, she reflects on the mentors and moments that shaped her leadership—and why communication, trust, and collaboration are more vital than ever.

Show Notes

A highly respected epidemiologist, physician, and public health leader, she offers heartfelt advice reminding us that even in tough times, public health remains one of the most meaningful—and hopeful—professions. In 2018, NFID honored Schuchat with the John P. Utz Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership and contributions to public health.

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