Robert F. Breiman

Dr. Robert F. Breiman is Professor of Global Health and Environmental Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine. His research focuses on addressing health inequities through child mortality prevention, urban health in impoverished settings, and combating respiratory and enteric diseases, including emerging pathogens. He founded the Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute (IDORI) at the University of the Witwatersrand (2022–2025) and now serves as its Senior Scientific Advisor.

• Education: MD (University of Arizona), Infectious Diseases (UCLA), Epidemic Intelligence Service (CDC)

Research Interests: Dr. Breiman’s work spans maternal and child health, infectious disease dynamics, typhoid fever burden studies, urban health disparities, and vaccine implementation. His projects include CDC- and NIH-funded initiatives on SARS-CoV-2, pneumococcal genetics, and typhoid surveillance across Africa, South Asia, and beyond.

Scientific Awards:

• Elected to the National Academy of Medicine (2017)
• Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA)
• Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH)
• Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honors

Grants & Affiliations: He has led major global initiatives, including the Gates Foundation-funded Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS), CREID-ECA (NIH), and COVIED (CDC). His collaborations span institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Washington State University, and the International Vaccine Institute, with mentorship roles in Uganda, Kenya, and Bangladesh.