Infectious Disease

Mosquito

Students develop digital tool to help the fight against malaria

Reiden Magdaleno

Malaria, one of the world's oldest diseases, remains a significant public health problem worldwide. A group of University of Michigan School of Public Health students recently developed a digital tool to make existing data on the disease more accessible.

College Street, North Kolkata, India. Photo by Pratiti Ghosh.

Where Science Meets Humanity: A Story of Suffering and Love in India

Mousumi Banerjee

India’s coronavirus problem is everyone’s problem. When a virus ravages one country this badly, it will affect others—and well beyond the spread of a disease. We must and will act on the responsibilities we have as a global community because disease is disease, love is love, and both are highly infectious.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan

Lessons from a Pandemic: Leading with Science

Joneigh Khaldun, BS ’02

Every day is different for Joneigh Khaldun, who leads the state of Michigan’s response to the pandemic and many other public health initiatives. Khaldun grew up in Michigan, received medical training on the east coast, and returned to her home state to do what she always wanted to do—support and improve the health of Michigan communities.

Dr. Julio Frenk, MPH, PhD, President of the University of Miami, Florida

Leadership to Inspire Global Change

Julio Frenk, MPH ’81, PhD ’83

Julio Frenk’s career has oscillated between health care and higher education. He currently serves as President of the University of Miami and for six years served as Mexico’s Secretary of Health. Whether in the academy or in policymaking, the unifying theme to that career, Frenk says, has been trying to give back through service.

Public health worker in Africa distributing vaccines

Is Africa Truly Free of Wild Polio?

Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14 and Uju Okeke

Without a case on the continent for several years, the World Health Organization declared Africa free of wild polio in 2020. But questions remain about the ability to reach remote areas for vaccination programs and for disease surveillance as well as questions around the security of infectious agents held in labs for research.