About

A major focus of research is in the science and prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). I have served at the Medical Director of the Department of Hospital Epidemiology (Infection Prevention) at the University of North Carolina Hospitals (UNCH) for >35 years. Our Department now consists of 20 persons. I have served as an Associate Chief Medical Officer of UNC Hospitals for >8 years and as the Medical Director of Occupational Health from 1983-2019. I am currently the Secretary of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Board. I am a member of the oversight committee for the UNC Carolina Data Warehouse (includes all data from the nine UNC hospitals currently using EPIC). I serve as the Medical Director of the NC State Program on Infection Control and Epidemiology (SPICE). I am deeply involved in HAI research. I serve as the UNC PI on the CDC supported Duke-UNC Epicenter grant. I Chair the NC Health Department TB Advisory Committee. I also have had a long standing interest in new and emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic diseases, biothreat agents, and those capable of causing epidemics and pandemics. I am specifically interested in preparedness and response for these diseases to mitigate the impact on healthcare facilities including infection prevention and occupational health preparedness. I am currently an advisor to the World Health Organization on COVID with a focus on environmental contamination and disinfection. I am on a working group advising the Lt. General of the US Airborne Command, Fort Bragg, NC. I was a member of CDC APIC COVID vaccine working group. I have published >450 peer-reviewed scientific papers cited in PubMed. I was a visiting scientist in DAIDS, NIAID, NIH in 1992-93 and twice chaired the NIH Study Section on AIDS Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Finally, I have had a long-standing interest in vaccines, especially those that impact healthcare providers. I have conducted research on the following vaccines: Tdap (pregnant women), influenza, hepatitis B, and pneumococcal.