Chris Beyrer

Dr. Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH, is an epidemiologist whose career has focused on HIV/AIDS research, global health, and public health policy. Beyrer serves as director of the Duke Global Health Institute and holds the title of Gary Hock Distinguished Professor of Global Infectious Diseases at Duke University, where he is also a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. Beyrer first encountered AIDS in Brooklyn among the Haitian population and later observed the epidemic's impact on New York City's gay community, experiences that influenced his career in HIV/AIDS epidemiology and human rights.

Beyrer has led collaborative research on HIV epidemiology, prevention, and treatment in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He served as field director of Thai PAVE and HIVNET studies at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand, contributing to the understanding of HIV transmission dynamics. His work includes molecular epidemiology studies in Thailand, research on drug-resistant HIV strains, and advocacy for integrating human rights into public health strategies. As director of the Johns Hopkins Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program, Beyrer provided fellowships for more than 1,400 international scholars in HIV/AIDS prevention, research, and treatment.

Before joining Duke, Beyrer was the inaugural Desmond M. Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he also served as professor of epidemiology, international health, nursing, and medicine. He was the founding director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights. Beyrer is the author of the book "War in the Blood: Sex, Politics and AIDS in Southeast Asia" and co-editor of "Public Health and Human Rights: Evidence-Based Approaches." He has authored more than 400 scientific papers and written or edited eight books. His scholarship has influenced policy and practice in global health and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Beyrer is past president of the International AIDS Society and has served as advisor to the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the National Institutes of Health Office of AIDS Research, the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Open Society Foundations. He has testified before the Senate and House of Representatives on HIV, AIDS, and human rights. Beyrer served as chair of the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, and has contributed to COVID-19 vaccine trials as senior scientific liaison to the COVID-19 Vaccine Prevention Network.

Beyrer was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the Academy's Board for Global Health and Committee for Human Rights. He received the Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Prevention Research and Human Rights from the International AIDS Society, recognizing his contributions to HIV epidemiology and advocacy for key populations. Beyrer's research in HIV/AIDS and its impact on marginalized populations has advanced public health and human rights, influencing health outcomes for individuals and communities worldwide.