David A. Relman

David A. Relman serves as the Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor in Medicine and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine, with additional affiliation as Senior Fellow at Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). His career uniquely bridges laboratory science and national security policy.

Dr. Relman pioneered modern human microbiome research, focusing on microbial community assembly, diversity, stability, and resilience. His policy work addresses biosecurity and emerging infections through leadership roles including past presidency of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and founding memberships on critical national boards. Current research examines how microbial ecosystems respond to environmental perturbations with implications for both human health and biological threat assessment.

His major recognitions include:

• Member of the National Academy of Medicine
• Member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
• President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

Dr. Relman leverages his dual expertise through active participation in government advisory roles, including recent service as Senior Advisor for Pandemic Preparedness at The White House (May 2024-January 2025) and ongoing membership on the Defense Science Board. His work receives support through Stanford institutional resources and federal advisory mechanisms.

His research program operates at the intersection of microbiology and security studies, utilizing Stanford's medical school infrastructure and CISAC's policy analysis capabilities to address challenges in microbial ecology, pandemic response, and biological threat mitigation through interdisciplinary collaboration.