Michael Osterholm

Dr. Michael T. Osterholm holds the titles of Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, and is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota. He also serves as Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School. Osterholm made significant contributions in the area of health security while serving as a Science Envoy for the US Department of State from June 2018 to May 2019. He has continued this trajectory, serving on President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 transition advisory board and actively engaging in public discourse on the pandemic.

Osterholm's expertise in infectious diseases is well-documented through his New York Times best-selling book "Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs," published in 2017. The book, which predicts pandemics like COVID-19 and outlines strategies to combat infectious diseases, has established Osterholm as a preeminent expert in the field. His involvement extends beyond literature as he regularly participates in major public health discussions on platforms such as MSNBC, CNN, and NPR, and he has been a recurring guest on the "Joe Rogan Experience" and other media to discuss COVID-19 related topics.

As a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Council of Foreign Relations, Osterholm's insights are highly sought after. He has served on several advisory boards including the National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity and the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics. Notably, Osterholm's academic and investigative work spans over three decades, with significant tenure at the Minnesota Department of Health focusing on outbreak investigations of international importance. His academic contributions exceed 315 papers and abstracts, including 21 book chapters, cementing his authority in the field. In recognition of his extensive research and public health initiatives, Osterholm recently received the Outstanding Government Service Award from the American Medical Association in February 2024. His commitment to public health education is evident from his ongoing role in the editorial boards of nine journals and his frequent lectures on epidemiological topics worldwide.