Dr. Michael Merson, current director of Yale University's Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, has been named director of Duke's newly launched Global Health Institute, President Richard Brodhead announced in late July.
"The Global Health Institute exemplifies the kind of cross-field collaboration that's rare elsewhere but relatively common here," Brodhead said in a statement. "I am extremely pleased that Dr. Merson will lead this visionary new program to address health disparities in Durham and around the world."
The $30-million institute was launched in April and will play a major role in current efforts by Duke researchers, who in recent years have received more than $350 million for HIV/AIDS research from the National Institute of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Members of the steering committee noted Merson's combined practical and academic experience, in addition to broad knowledge of interdisciplinary applications to global health issues, as major factors of his selection.
"His experience 'in the field' also attunes him to the advantages, even necessity, of broad interdisciplinary application to the challenges of global health and health inequalities," said Provost Peter Lange.
Planners for the institute aim to avoid the typical medical-school-centric approach to global health studies.
"Merson understood how [the institute] is distinctive from global health programs driven entirely by medical schools or schools of public health," said Bob Cook-Deegan, co-chair of the Global Health Initiative Steering Committee and research professor of public policy.
An internationally renowned AIDS researcher, Merson served as director of the World Health Organization's Global Program on AIDS and two other international health programs for 17 years before taking the position at Yale.
There, he gained experience spanning areas from translational research to social science research to policy issues relating to global health.
At Yale, Merson was dean and chair of the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health from 1995 to 2004, and "expressed strong interest in undergraduate teaching"-an important element of Duke's new undergraduate certificate program in Global Health, Cook-Deegan said.
Merson has authored more than 175 articles and is the senior editor of "International Public Health," the first textbook published on the subject.
Most recently, Merson has been published on global AIDS policy issues, and said in a statement that he was attracted to Duke's philosophy regarding interdisciplinary approaches to achieve advances in healthcare.
Cook-Deegan said Merson's own philosophies match closely the forces that drive the Duke community as a whole.
"He thrives on student enthusiasm, which is our greatest resource," Cook-Deegan said. "Where there is passion, good things will follow."
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