Jonathan B. Parr

Jonathan B. Parr, MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He specializes in infectious diseases with a focus on molecular epidemiology and genomics. Dr. Parr serves as a key member of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab (IDEEL) which he co-founded, and has collaborated extensively with the World Health Organization on malaria-related initiatives.

Dr. Parr received his undergraduate education at Stanford University, attended medical school at the University of Virginia, completed his residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Harvard Medical School), and pursued his fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Parr's research spans molecular epidemiology, genomics, and global health with particular emphasis on infectious diseases affecting marginalized populations. His work has focused primarily on malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but has expanded to include translational studies of viral hepatitis and syphilis. He applies cutting-edge molecular and genomic tools to address challenges in infectious disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in resource-limited settings globally.

Dr. Parr is a founding member of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab (IDEEL), a collaborative research initiative involving multiple institutions including UNC Chapel Hill, Brown University, Imperial College London, and others. IDEEL focuses on improving the health of the world's poorest populations through interdisciplinary research exploring pathogen-host interactions. During the pandemic, Dr. Parr served as co-director of UNC infectious diseases' inpatient COVID-19 services.

Dr. Parr has made significant contributions to global health through collaborations with the World Health Organization on malaria diagnosis and treatment improvement initiatives. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. He also serves as an Associate Editor for Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation.