CGH Director Nationally Recognized as Leading Figure in Global Health

In March 2016, Dr. Thomas Quinn received two distinguished awards for his over 35 years of research and leadership in the field of global public health: he was promoted as NIH Distinguished Researcher and awarded the 2016 Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Distinguished Leadership Award in Global Health.

As a Senior Investigator in the International AIDS Research Laboratory at NIAID and a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Dr. Quinn has a long and rich career in epidemiological and laboratory investigation of the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. With a background in tropical and sexual transmitted diseases, he is recognized as one of the few scientists globally who was able to spearhead the HIV/AIDS epidemic response efforts. His work in AIDS control has expanded internationally, transcending borders and resulting in, among others, more than two decades of active engagement with Rakai Health Science Program in Rakai, Uganda. As a co-investigator in Rakai, Dr. Quinn has worked extensively on developing novel STD/HIV laboratory testing tools and methods for community-based trials. Furthermore, his work also aims to engender sustainable local clinical research capacity through extensive, long-term partnerships and technical trainings. He states that he “doesn’t believe in parachute science and a true collaborative nature and ability to work with cross-functional teams towards a common goal is essential”. 

Conducting large-scale clinical and public health research projects in limited-resource settings entails several challenges. Dr. Quinn highlights flexibility and ability to effectively collaborate as key to continued success. As for young hopefuls that are working hard to follow in his foot-step, he advises actively seeking out opportunities to build and strengthen expertise in area(s) of interest and taking full advantage of Hopkin’s enormous resources. 

The CUGH award and the NIH recognition as Distinguished Researcher, the highest honor in NIH given to only 2% of its senior investigators, are testaments to Dr. Quinn’s commitment to the application of science and research for the betterment of health and well-being among the global community. Moving forward, Dr. Quinn is excited to further advance his multiple international research projects and guide and mentor the next generation of public health scientists.

by Mignote Solomon Haile, CGH Student Assistant