Infectious Diseases & International Health
Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health
Division Chief: William A. Petri, Jr., MD, PhD
UVA’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, headed by William A. Petri, Jr., has a long tradition of excellence in research, patient care and education. Historically it has been an area of special strength in the School of Medicine, built on the foundation laid by Gerald L. Mandell, division chief from its creation in 1969 until 2002, and long-time Department of Medicine chair Ed Hook, himself a distinguished researcher in infectious diseases. Today, division faculty are extending that tradition of excellence into new frontiers of research and innovative models of patient care, while training a new generation of physician-scientists to meet the challenges of infectious diseases in an increasingly “flat” global community.
During 2012 and 2013, division faculty were recognized with a number of teaching and research awards. Current or emeritus faculty members have edited some of the key texts in the field, most notably Gerald Mandell (Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, now in its 7th edition), Richard Guerrant (Tropical Infectious Diseases: Principles, Pathogens and Practice), William Petri (Medical Parasitology), W. Michael Scheld (Infections of the Central Nervous System), and Frederick G. Hayden (Clinical Virology). This tradition of scholarly excellence continues, with more than 50 faculty publications over the past year. Faculty research is supported by external grants totaling more than $20 million annually – an amount which comprises about one-fifth of all extramural research funding in the School of Medicine. Infectious diseases and international health are among ten “research themes” in the School of Medicine’s ten-year strategic plan, one of four central themes in the Department of Medicine’s strategic plan, and an area of expansion within the departments of microbiology, pathology and cell biology.
The Carter- Harrison Medical Research Building, the division’s home since its completion in 2009, provides state-of-the-art facilities, with more than 23,000 square feet of lab and support space, and a 4,000+ square-foot BSL-3 biocontainment lab suite. The division is well-resourced and well-positioned to continue its leadership role in the School of Medicine and at UVA in international health, and to play an increasingly prominent role on the national and international stage.