Dr. Jaime Sepulveda, the Haile T. Debas Distinguished Professor of Global Health, is the Executive Director of UCSF Global Health Sciences. A member of the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet, he leads a team of over 300 faculty and staff engaged in translating UCSF’s scientific leadership into programs that positively impact health and reduce inequities globally. Sepulveda oversees several education and training programs, including the Masters of Science in Global Health Sciences degree program, the first such program in the nation, and the brand-new PhD in Global Health.
Sepulveda’s areas of research expertise include HIV/AIDS, vaccines, health surveillance and metrics, neglected infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal health, health policy, and global health initiatives.
Sepulveda was the Principal Investigator for the FIRST (Fighting Infections through Research, Science and Technology) program, which tackles neglected infectious diseases in Mesoamerica. He was until recently the co-director of the new $100M UCSF Preterm Birth initiative, and has served as a guest editor for global health supplements in Health Affairs and Science.
In addition to his research credentials, Sepulveda is an experienced implementer of effective health programs. Sepulveda designed Mexico’s Universal Vaccination Program, which eliminated polio, measles, and diphtheria by achieving universal childhood immunization coverage. He also modernized the national health surveillance system, created the National Health Surveys System and founded Mexico’s National AIDS Council.