Shama D Ahuja

Shama D Ahuja is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and currently serves as Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Her research focuses on infectious disease transmission dynamics, molecular epidemiology, and public health interventions for vulnerable populations. She oversees surveillance and outbreak response for over 70 infectious diseases, with expertise in tuberculosis control and emerging threats like SARS-CoV-2.

Dr. Ahuja holds a BS from Emory University, an MPH from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, and a PhD from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has held leadership roles in organizations such as the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the Society for Epidemiology in Tuberculosis Control.

Her work integrates epidemiological research with policy, emphasizing practical applications of molecular tools and surveillance data. Notable contributions include analyzing TB strain diversity in public housing and modeling future TB trends in NYC.

Publications highlight her expertise in tuberculosis epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2 variant analysis, and vaccine effectiveness in long-term care facilities. She has co-led emergency responses for Superstorm Sandy, Ebola, and the recent pandemic.