Infectious IDeas

Join hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, for a compelling discussion with patient advocate and public health champion Leana Wen, MD, MSc. Practicing physician and Washington Post columnist, Wen shares her remarkable journey, from her childhood as an immigrant to the US from China, to her experiences as Health Commissioner of Baltimore. Hear her thoughts on addressing health disparities, improving health outcomes, and the untold health stories that deserve more attention.

Show notes

An emergency physician, healthcare executive, adjunct associate professor at George Washington University, and nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, Wen received her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine and studied health policy at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. A triathlete and mother of 2 young children, she has been named one of Modern Healthcare's Top 50 Physician-Executives and TIME's 100 Most Influential People.

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Join hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, for a compelling discussion with renowned infectious disease specialist and public health communicator, Céline Gounder, MD, ScM. Gounder shares her insights on the importance of trust in public health communication, the fight against misinformation, the future of infectious disease diagnostics, and her personal journey coping with her husband's tragic and untimely death.

Show notes

An internist and infectious disease specialist, Gounder is a CBS News medical contributor, a senior fellow at Kaiser Family Foundation(KFF), and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News. She is also a clinical associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and cares for patients on the wards at Bellevue Hospital Center. Gounder is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has been included on the lists of 50 Women Making the World a Better Place as well as25 Women Changing the World, for her contributions to public health and healthcare.

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Join hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, as they dive into a candid discussion with Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, of Resolve to Save Lives, exploring his journey from philosophy to medicine and a distinguished career in public health, with a focus on building resilient communities. From limiting trans-fat to banning smoking, he has spent his career working to build a healthier future for all, based on lessons from the past.

Show notes

Throughout his career, Frieden has been a strong advocate for pandemic preparedness, vaccine equity, and improving public health systems. As a global expert in tuberculosis, tobacco control, and health policy, he served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2009 to 2017, where he oversaw responses to the H1N1 influenza, Ebola, and Zika epidemics. Prior to leading CDC, he served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health from 2002 to 2009. Born and raised in New York City, Frieden enjoys playing squash, reading non-fiction, and cooking. 

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In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about her perspectives on rebuilding trust in public health agencies. She shares what first influenced her to study medicine, what she is most proud of to date at CDC as well as barriers going forward, and what most keeps her awake at night.

Show notes

An internist, public health official, and healthcare executive, Cohen took over as director of CDC in July 2023, after serving as health secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. She served as chief operating officer and chief of staff at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the Obama Administration and is a founding member and former executive director of Doctors for America. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. Cohen is married to a healthcare regulatory attorney and has2 pre-teen daughters.

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In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He shares insights from his influential career in vaccine science and diplomacy, from how the field has changed over time, how his experience as the father of an autistic daughter helped shape his career, and what we can all be doing to counter anti-science rhetoric and help build vaccine confidence.

Show notes

An internationally recognized physician-scientist, Hotez is a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. For decades, he has led global efforts to develop new vaccines for neglected diseases around the world affecting hundreds of millions of people. In December of 2021, he led efforts at Texas Children’s to develop a low-cost COVID-19vaccine for global health, resulting in emergency use authorization in India. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is the prolific author of more than 650 publications, including the newest book, “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science: A Scientist's Warning.” He frequently testifies before Congress and appears as a guest for national media outlets, always sporting his distinctive bowtie.

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In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the US Food and Drug Administration. He shares his insights on the origin of Operation Warp Speed during the COVID-19 pandemic, his efforts to transform the way that FDA approaches approval and licensure of new vaccines and other prevention tools, and his thoughts on how artificial intelligence may improve future work.

Show notes

Before joining FDA, Dr. Marks was clinical director of hematology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. He worked in industry for several years on hematology and oncology drug development and then returned to academic medicine at Yale University where he led the Adult Leukemia Service and served as chief clinical officer of Smilow Cancer Hospital. He joined FDA in 2012 as CBER deputy director and became director in2016. In 2022, he became a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Born in Brooklyn, NY, the father of 2 grown children now lives with his wife in Washington, DC.

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In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Carol J. Baker, MD, a leader in group B Streptococcus prevention and a passionate advocate for maternal immunization to help protect mothers and infants. She shares her perspectives on the most significant changes throughout her career, including the development of vaccines and antivirals as well as the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials for vaccines and drugs. 

As a former competitive swimmer and now a daily walker, she has brought her energy and drive to national leadership positions, including as past president of NFID, as well as former chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. NFID presented her with the John P. Utz Leadership Award in 2009 in recognition of her leadership and service to NFID and the field of infectious diseases. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.  

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In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who was deeply involved in the responses to some of the biggest public health threats of the past 5 decades including HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. She shares her perspectives on the most significant changes she has seen throughout her career, how the HIV/AIDS epidemic helped shaped her work, the importance of rebuilding trust in CDC and other government agencies, and predictions for the upcoming respiratory season.

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In the season 2 premier episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Barney S. Graham, MD, PhD, professor and senior advisor for global health equity at Morehouse School of Medicine, and one of the true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion ranges from his early experiences farming to industry challenges, big scientific changes in recent years, exciting new developments in preventing future pandemics, and his work to improve health equity.

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Bruce G. Gellin, MD, MPH, senior vice president and chief of global public health strategy at The Rockefeller Foundation, was a source of science-based information about vaccines long before misinformation and disinformation became buzzwords. From developing the first pandemic influenza preparedness and response plan for the US in 2005, to decades spent working to promote public health, he has been a pivotal voice in shaping public health policy in the US and globally.

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