Eva Harris PhD

Dr. Eva Harris is a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology in the School of Public Health and Director of the Center for Global Public Health at UC Berkeley. She has developed a multidisciplinary approach to study the molecular virology, pathogenesis, immunology, epidemiology, and control of dengue, the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, using in vitro approaches, animal models, and research involving human populations.

Her international work focuses on laboratory-based, clinical, and epidemiological studies of dengue and influenza in endemic Latin American countries, particularly in Nicaragua, where she has worked in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health for over 25 years. In 1997, Dr. Harris received a MacArthur “Genius” Award for her pioneering work over the previous ten years developing programs to build scientific capacity in developing countries to address public health and infectious disease issues. To expand this work, in 1998 she founded a non-profit organization Sustainable Sciences Institute (SSI; http://sustainablesciences. org), with offices in San Francisco, Nicaragua, and Egypt. She received a national recognition award from the Minister of Health of Nicaragua for her contribution to scientific development and was selected as a “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum. She currently serves as a Councilor of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Dr. Harris has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, as well as a book on her international scientific work.