Peter Piot
Encyclopedia
Baron Peter Piot, MD, PhD FRCP (born 1949 in Leuven
, Belgium
) is a former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations
, former Executive Director of the UN specialized agency UNAIDS, and a professor at Imperial College London
. In 2004, he was awarded the Vlerick Award
.
After he qualified as a Doctor of Medicine
at the University of Ghent (Belgium
) in 1974, he co-discovered the Ebola
virus in Zaire
in 1976. In 1980 Peter Piot received a PhD
degree in Microbiology
from the University of Antwerp
(Belgium
). He was also a Senior Fellow at the University of Washington
in Seattle.
In the 1980s, Dr. Piot participated in a series of collaborative projects in Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania and Zaire. Project SIDA in Kinshasa, Zaire was the first international project on AIDS
in Africa and is widely acknowledged as having provided the foundations of our understanding of HIV
infection in Africa. He was a professor of microbiology
, and of public health
at the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine
, in Antwerp, and the Universities of Nairobi
, Brussels
, and Lausanne
.
From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Piot was president of the International AIDS Society
. 1992 he became Assistant Director of the World Health Organization
's Global Programme on HIV/AIDS. On 12 December 1994, he was appointed Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations. He stepped down from this role in late 2008, at which time he was replaced by Michel Sidibé
.
Dr. Piot was ennobled a Baron by King Albert II of Belgium, in 1995. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
and the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, UK. He is fluent in three languages and is the author of 16 books and more than 500 scientific articles. He became the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in September 2010.
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) is a former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, former Executive Director of the UN specialized agency UNAIDS, and a professor at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
. In 2004, he was awarded the Vlerick Award
Vlerick Award
The Vlerick Award is a Belgian award granted by the Alumni of the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School. The nominees must be a Belgian manager with excelling management skills who has achieved sustainable results from an international perspective...
.
After he qualified as a Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
at the University of Ghent (Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) in 1974, he co-discovered the Ebola
Ebola
Ebola virus disease is the name for the human disease which may be caused by any of the four known ebolaviruses. These four viruses are: Bundibugyo virus , Ebola virus , Sudan virus , and Taï Forest virus...
virus in Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
in 1976. In 1980 Peter Piot received a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
from the University of Antwerp
University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). He was also a Senior Fellow at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle.
In the 1980s, Dr. Piot participated in a series of collaborative projects in Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania and Zaire. Project SIDA in Kinshasa, Zaire was the first international project on AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in Africa and is widely acknowledged as having provided the foundations of our understanding of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
infection in Africa. He was a professor of microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, and of public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
at the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine
Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine
The Institute of Tropical Medicine , previously known as Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine is located in Antwerp, Belgium. The ITM is one of the world's leading institutes for training and research in tropical medicine and the organisation of health care in developing countries...
, in Antwerp, and the Universities of Nairobi
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
, Brussels
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish university located in Brussels, Belgium. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek and Jette.The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels"...
, and Lausanne
University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
.
From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Piot was president of the International AIDS Society
International AIDS Society
The International AIDS Society is an independent association of HIV professionals, with 14,000 members from 190 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. IAS members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the...
. 1992 he became Assistant Director of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's Global Programme on HIV/AIDS. On 12 December 1994, he was appointed Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations. He stepped down from this role in late 2008, at which time he was replaced by Michel Sidibé
Michel Sidibé
Mr Michel Sidibé has been the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations since 1 January 2009....
.
Dr. Piot was ennobled a Baron by King Albert II of Belgium, in 1995. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, UK. He is fluent in three languages and is the author of 16 books and more than 500 scientific articles. He became the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in September 2010.
Quotes
Further reading
- Pattyn S, van der Groen G, Courteille G, Jacob W, Piot P., Isolation of Marburg-like virus from a case of haemorrhagic fever in Zaire, Lancet. 1977 Mar 12;1(8011):573-4.
- Piot P, Bartos M, Ghys PD, Walker N, Schwartlander B., The global impact of HIV/AIDS, Nature. 2001 Apr 19;410(6831):968-73.
External links
- Dr. Peter Piot - Biography (UNAIDS.org): English | Français | Español | Русский | Arabic
- Dr. Peter Piot - Latest Speeches
- Dr. Peter Piot - Lancet Journal Article, August 6, 2006 (pdf, 83kb)