Charles B. Holmes

Dr. Charles B. Holmes is a Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center and Director of the Georgetown Center for Innovation in Global Health. He holds additional roles as a Distinguished Scholar and Program Director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. With extensive global health leadership experience, he previously served as Chief Medical Officer and Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator for PEPFAR during the Obama-Biden administration, leading policy initiatives and founding the Office of Research and Science. Later, he served as CEO of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), improving Zambia’s healthcare system. His current work focuses on strategic health systems responses to epidemics and HIV service quality optimization. He advises organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and WHO, co-chairing the WHO Global Working Group for HIV Service Quality. Dr. Holmes trained at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and has been faculty at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine since 2011, maintaining adjunct status there.

Education:

• Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Training: Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Research Interests: Dr. Holmes’ work centers on HIV/AIDS treatment and policy, health systems strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa, epidemic preparedness, and health diplomacy. He explores patient-centered care models, decentralized HIV prevention strategies, and the integration of digital health tools (e.g., mHealth) to enhance service delivery. His research often addresses systemic barriers to healthcare access and retention in care, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Publications Trends: His recent articles emphasize HIV service quality, health system performance in Zambia/Malawi, and pandemic preparedness. Key themes include policy implementation, patient-provider communication, and adapting care models for sustainability amid funding challenges.

Awards/Honors: Life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Advising & Grants: Advises the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and WHO. Collaborated with Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist and Tom Daschle on Strategic Health Diplomacy (2018). Led Malawi’s successful Global Fund application as a consultant to the Office of the Malawi Vice President.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with Georgetown’s Health Governance and Diplomacy Lab, One Health Lab, and the Health Diplomacy Training Institute. Active in the Social-ID Lab and International Disease and Events Analysis (IDEA) initiative.