David Jay Weber

Dr. David Jay Weber is a Professor of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and holds joint appointments in Medicine and Pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine. He serves as Associate Chief Medical Officer at UNC Health Care and Medical Director of the Department of Infection Prevention at UNC Medical Center. His roles also include leadership in the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS).

Education:

• MD, Medicine, University of California, San Diego (1977)
• MPH, Epidemiology, Harvard University (1985)

Research Interests: Dr. Weber’s work focuses on healthcare-associated infections, antibiotic stewardship, emerging pathogens (e.g., Pfiesteria, norovirus), and vaccine implementation. He chairs the North Carolina Department of Health and leads initiatives to address pandemic preparedness, mpox, and antimicrobial resistance. His research emphasizes translational science and public health policy.

Publications: Over 50 publications on coronaviruses and COVID-19, including studies on masking efficacy, school reopenings, and hospital epidemiology. Recent work includes a landmark paper on vaccination mandates for healthcare workers and collaborations on Thailand’s pandemic response.

Awards:

• Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award (2023)
• H. Fleming Fuller Award (UNC School of Medicine)
• Bernard G. Greenberg Alumni Endowment Award (Gillings School)

Advising & Grants: Mentorship of dozens of students and securing millions in research funding for infection prevention, including a $3M grant for emerging pathogen preparedness. Active in global health collaborations, such as the ABC Science Collaborative for K-12 pandemic guidance.

Labs/Teams: Directs the UNC Health Care Anti-Infective Stewardship Program, collaborating with infectious disease specialists, pharmacists, and molecular microbiologists. Leads the NC TraCS Regulatory Services division.