Dyann F. Wirth

Dyann F. Wirth has transformed malaria research and global health through four decades of groundbreaking work in molecular parasitology. After earning her Ph.D. from MIT in 1978 and completing postdoctoral work at Harvard, she established herself as one of the world's foremost malaria experts. As Richard Pearson Strong Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Institute Member at the Broad Institute, she pioneered innovative approaches to understanding malaria parasite evolution, drug resistance, and population biology. Her laboratory achieved several firsts in malaria genetics, including identifying the cytochrome B gene in Plasmodium and developing DNA insertion techniques for malaria cells. Through her leadership of Harvard's Malaria Initiative and role as Chair of WHO's Malaria Policy Advisory Committee, she has built global research networks combining molecular biology, genomics, epidemiology and clinical research. Her achievements have earned numerous honors including the Walter Reed Medal, BioMalPar's Lifetime Achievement Award, and election to the National Academy of Medicine. Through her continued research and mentorship, she shapes the future of infectious disease research while working toward malaria eradication.