Wafaa El-Sadr
Encyclopedia
Wafaa El-Sadr MD, MPH is director of the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiologic Research CIDER at Columbia University
’s Mailman School of Public Health
. El-Sadr also is professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University.
From 1988 to 2008, El-Sadr led the Division of Infectious Diseases at Harlem Hospital Center
, where she helped develop HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
(TB) program. She has led a number of research studies and grant-funded programs through funding from the National Institutes of Health
, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Agency for International Development, Health Resources and Services Administration
, New York State and New York City Departments of Health as well as private foundations.
Working with former dean of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Allan Rosenfield
, El-Sadr helped establish the MTCT-Plus initiative, a global program that aims to provide women and their families with HIV-related services. ICAP covers 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa
.
She has recently focused her efforts on highlighting the continued impact of HIV in the United States, establishing the Domestic Prevention Working Group within the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network.
In 2008, El-Sadr was named a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellow. In 2009, Rolling Stone
magazine named El-Sadr to its list of "100 People Who Are Changing America." In the same year, she was also named as one of Scientific American
10: Guiding Science for Humanity. She is also a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. In November 2009, The Utne Reader
named El-Sadr one of the “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.”
El-Sadr is a member of the science planning committees for the International AIDS Society
conference in Vienna (2010) and the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
(CROI, 2010). She is currently a member of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis for the World Health Organization and a board member for the Population Council. She has served as a member of the Antiviral Advisory Committee for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
, and the Advisory Council for the Elimination of TB at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
. She also has served on the amfAR
board. She is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and previously chaired its tuberculosis committee.
El-Sadr holds a medical degree from Cairo University
, Egypt, a master's of public health degree in epidemiology from the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
, and a master's in public administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
. She is Board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases.
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
’s Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
The Columbia Mailman School of Public Health is one of the schools of Columbia University in New York City. It is one of the first schools of public health recognized by the Council on Education for Public Health and remains a leading academic and research institution. The beginnings of the school...
. El-Sadr also is professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University.
From 1988 to 2008, El-Sadr led the Division of Infectious Diseases at Harlem Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center is a 272-bed public, municipally owned teaching hospital in New York City founded in 1887. It is located at 506 Lenox Avenue at 135th Street in the Harlem community of Manhattan.-Overview:...
, where she helped develop HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
(TB) program. She has led a number of research studies and grant-funded programs through funding from the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Agency for International Development, Health Resources and Services Administration
Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration , is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in Rockville, Maryland...
, New York State and New York City Departments of Health as well as private foundations.
Working with former dean of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Allan Rosenfield
Allan Rosenfield
Allan Rosenfield was an advocate for women's health during the worldwide AIDS pandemic as dean of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health....
, El-Sadr helped establish the MTCT-Plus initiative, a global program that aims to provide women and their families with HIV-related services. ICAP covers 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
.
She has recently focused her efforts on highlighting the continued impact of HIV in the United States, establishing the Domestic Prevention Working Group within the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network.
In 2008, El-Sadr was named a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellow. In 2009, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine named El-Sadr to its list of "100 People Who Are Changing America." In the same year, she was also named as one of Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
10: Guiding Science for Humanity. She is also a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. In November 2009, The Utne Reader
Utne Reader
Utne Reader is an American bimonthly magazine. The magazine collects and reprints articles on politics, culture, and the environment from generally alternative media sources, including journals, newsletters, weeklies, zines, music and DVDs...
named El-Sadr one of the “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.”
El-Sadr is a member of the science planning committees for 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...
conference in Vienna (2010) and the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections is an annual scientific meeting devoted to the understanding, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. The 18th conference was held in Boston, Massachusetts from 27 February to 2 March 2011...
(CROI, 2010). She is currently a member of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis for the World Health Organization and a board member for the Population Council. She has served as a member of the Antiviral Advisory Committee for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
, and the Advisory Council for the Elimination of TB at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
. She also has served on the amfAR
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
board. She is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and previously chaired its tuberculosis committee.
El-Sadr holds a medical degree from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
, Egypt, a master's of public health degree in epidemiology from the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
The Columbia Mailman School of Public Health is one of the schools of Columbia University in New York City. It is one of the first schools of public health recognized by the Council on Education for Public Health and remains a leading academic and research institution. The beginnings of the school...
, and a master's in public administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. She is Board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases.