The Division of Infectious Diseases comprises more than 50 faculty members, 15 clinical fellows, more than 25 post doctoral trainees and many more key personnel that make it one of largest members of the Department of Medicine within the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Our primary goal is to combat infectious diseases worldwide through research, patient care, prevention, and education. 

We work as teams that focus upon the most important challenges within infectious diseases.  Reflecting the rapidly expanding complexity of medicine, our work is chiefly done in multidisciplinary groups that include members of our Division, as well as others in the closely linked Schools of Medicine, Hygiene, and Nursing, and partners from throughout the world.  Our most significant biomedical discoveries are made in these teams, where the work of basic scientists is then further developed by expert clinicians who translate these discoveries into better patient care.  Our Division has research groups that focus on HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, infectious diarrhea, influenza, other respiratory infections, organ transplantation-related infections and hospital-acquired infections.  A recent example is the Center for Tuberculosis Research that has developed two new medicines to treat tuberculosis and is leading global trials to evaluate them in man.   

Patient care is also best provided by multidisciplinary teams.  For example, comprehensive, longitudinal HIV care at Johns Hopkins is provided by physicians, nurses, social workers, and administrative staff.  In addition, key partners provide additional on-site expertise in psychiatry, neurology, pharmacology, gynecology, chronic hepatitis, endocrinology, oncology and other disciplines where HIV-infected patients have unique needs.  Clinicians not only provide outstanding medical care but also extend their reach through the impact of hundreds of biomedical research publications documenting their best medical practices and research findings.

The Division also plays a major role within the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions by teaching infectious diseases to the future leaders of medicine.  Through lectures and course direction, Division members participate in the Institution’s legacy of medical education.  Last year a member of the Division won the prestigious Barry Wood Teaching Award for outstanding contributions to education in the medical school.  As a core mission of the Division, the Fellowship program trains over 15 fellows per year. Each year up to five of the most outstanding medical residents are chosen for a three year minimum Infectious Diseases Fellowship.  The rigor and global impact of this training program have been recognized by several National Institutes of Health Awards as well as full accreditation by the Residency Review Committees through 2012.  Our fellowship program includes both outstanding broad clinical training and opportunity to conduct two years of uninterrupted research with world class scientists from this and other institutions.  Many of our fellows have gone on to become national and international leaders in the field of Infectious Diseases.

Although the Division is primarily located on the two East Baltimore campuses, faculty members also have a tremendous global educational impact.  The Center for Clinical Global Health Education uses state of the art technology to educate physicians all over the world.  Each week, Division Grand Rounds is webcast and archived providing global infectious diseases education.  Similar technologies link Divisional thought leaders with physicians providing care from Ethiopia, to India, to prisons in the United States.  The Center won the Computerworld Honors Program 2007 Laureate in Health Care award in recognition of its impact on global health education.  Likewise, the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health is a nexus for all the Institution’s international health efforts and provides special opportunities for training and research.

Our goal is to increase the breadth and depth of our clinical, biomedical discovery, and educational programs.  Please learn more about our Division by visiting the web pages of the individual programs and faculty as well as those of our key partners. Through training, investigating, working, or giving, I invite you to join with us in this vitally important battle against infectious diseases. 

Sincerely,

David L. Thomas, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine
Director, Division of Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases Division Chiefs