Michael T. Osterholm, PhD
Regents Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences
Regents Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences
Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)
Professor, Technological Leadership Institute
Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine
PhD, Environmental Health, University of Minnesota, 1980
MS, Environmental Health, University of Minnesota, 1976
MPH, Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1978
BA, Biology and Political Science, Luther College , 1975
Summary
Dr. Osterholm is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota. He is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.
Expertise
An internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology. Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology, Health Communications, Health Communications: Social Media, Infectious Disease, Infectious Disease: Foodborne, Infectious Disease: HIV / AIDS, Infectious Disease: Influenza, Infectious Disease: STDs, Policy / Politics, Public Health Preparedness, Vaccines
Awards & Recognition
In addition to being awarded a university Regents Professorship in 2015, Dr. Osterholm is also a McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health. In addition, Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.
Professional Associations
Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), Council of Foreign Relations, University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy of Excellence in Health Research, World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics. Former Minnesota Department of Health state epidemiologist and chief of Acute Disease Epidemiology Section. Principal investigator of CIDRAP's Antimicrobial Stewardship Project, launched in 2016.
Research
Research Summary/Interests
Dr. Osterholm has been a national leader detailing the growing concern regarding the use of biological agents as catastrophic weapons targeting civilian populations. After 9/11, he served as Special Advisor to Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on issues related to bioterrorism and public health preparedness. Dr. Osterholm serves on the editorial boards of five journals. He is a reviewer for 24 additional journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and Science. He served on the CDC’s National Center for Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors from 1992 to 1997; and is former president of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). Dr. Osterholm served for 24 years (1975-1999) in various roles at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH); the last 15 as state epidemiologist and chief of the Acute Disease Epidemiology Section. He currently serves on the IOM Forum on Emerging Infections. He has served on the IOM Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health in the 21st Century and the IOM Committee on Food Safety, Production to Consumption. He was also a reviewer for the IOM Report on Chemical and Biological Terrorism. As a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Dr. Osterholm serves on the Public and Scientific Affairs Board (where he chairs the Public Health Committee), the Task Force on Biological Weapons, and the Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance. He is a frequent consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Defense, and the CDC. He is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
Publications
Dr. Osterholm is the author of more than 300 papers and abstracts, including 20 book chapters.
Media
U of MN Health Sciences Expert Link
In The News
SPH News
- U of M Receives $5.4 Million Gift to Address Supply of Critical Medicines Worldwide
- CIDRAP Developing Influenza Vaccines Roadmap
- U of M Receives $5.4 Million Gift to Address Supply of Critical Medicines Worldwide
- State Department Names Osterholm U.S. Science Envoy
- CIDRAP to Develop R&D Roadmaps for Three Deadly Diseases
In The Media
- WHO asks panel to weigh whether Ebola outbreak is global emergency (STAT)
- U's new effort will help broaden, better coordinate fight to contain chronic wasting disease (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- The anti-vaxx movement is more organized and powerful than ever (The Daily Beast)
- Can Uganda block Ebola’s spread from neighboring Congo? (PBS News Hour)
- Great Outdoors: Migratory bird seasons set (The Maryville Daily Times)
- Public Health Official: Chronic Wasting Disease Seems Bound To Infect People (Mountain Journal)
- “Zombie deer disease,” a mad cow-like infection spreading in the US, explained (Vox)
- University of Minnesota researchers get grant for flu vaccine research (KARE 11)
- University of Minnesota experts to examine weak links in nation's medicine pipeline (Star Tribune)
- U of M receives Walton Family grant to address global medical supply shortage (WCCO-TV)
- Flu season 2018-2019: Flu activity on the rise in 9 states (Today Show)
- How to Turbocharge Flu Protection (Llamas Required) (The New York Times)
- Calling the caravan's migrants "diseased" is a classic xenophobic move (Wired)
- A Q&A on AFM, the rare polio-like illness diagnosed in 6 Minnesota children (MinnPost)
- Danger of a catastrophic influenza pandemic far from over (The Irish Times)
- Make a flu shot your Halloween tradition (FiveThirtyEight/ABC News)
- Vulnerability to pandemic flu could be greater today than a century ago (JAMA Network)
- 100 years ago, influenza killed as many as 50 million people. Could it happen again today? (USA Today)
- 100 years ago, influenza killed as many as 50 million people. Could it happen again today? (WKYC)
- 100 years ago, nearly 50 million people died from influenza (The Western Journal)
- 100 Years ago, influenza killed 50M people. Could it happen today? (American Security Today)
- Do you actually need to get a flu shot or what? (Men's Health)
- Considering an early flu shot? Maybe not: Vaccine wears off with time (Star Tribune)
- When is the right time to get your flu shot? (CBS News)
- Cyclospora Blue-Ribbon Panel, China withholding H7N9 avian flu samples (Outbreak News Today — Podcast)
- Flu shots: What you need To know before getting vaccinated (WCCO-TV)
- Here we go again, hoping this message will get through: Please vaccinate your children (Lancaster Online)
- Fresh Express forms Panel to Study Cyclospora Outbreaks (The Produce News)
- Fresh Express Tackles Cyclospora Head on with Expert Panel (The Packer)
- Blue-Ribbon Panel of Third-party Experts Announced to Help Produce Industry Understand and Solve Problem of Seasonal Cyclospora Illness Outbreaks (Markets Insider)
- Anti-Vaccine Activists Have Taken Vaccine Science Hostage (The New York Times)
- A Troubling Exit: Drug Company Ends Antibiotics Research (Star Tribune)
- Del Monte vegetables linked to outbreak that has sickened more than 200, officials say (The New York Times)
- A straight-talking U.S. science envoy (Science)
- With short outbreaks and complex permissions, testing critical Ebola treatments is a challenge (STAT)
- A pioneering vaccine is being sent to Congo in hopes of containing a new Ebola outbreak (The Washington Post)
- Prioritize transnational biothreats now, experts warn (Homeland Preparedness News)
- Ebola vaccine appears to provide long-lasting protection (Scientific American)
- Royal Caribbean's CEO says passengers would stop getting norovirus if they would just wash their hands (Business Insider)
- This Eradicated Disease Could Come Back As a Terrifying Biological Weapon (The Daily Beast)
- Is the Zika virus still a concern for travelers? (CBS Minnesota)
- It's been a rough flu season. How worried should you be? (MPR News)
- After record numbers, flu cases drop off slightly (MPR News)
- Flu concerns among Super Bowl crowds (NBC News)
- A severe flu season is stretching hospitals thin. That is a very bad omen (STAT)
- We're not ready for a flu pandemic (New York Times)
- This year's flu shot is not as effective against one of the nastiest strains — but you should still get it (Markets Insider)
- At flu shot deadline, hundreds of Essentia Health employees could lose jobs (MPR)
- Researchers chase a better fix for the seasonal flu (PBS News Hour)
- How the incredible, edible egg may actually be hampering your flu vaccine (STAT)
- How to stop a lethal virus (Smithsonian)
- Flu season 2017: Medical supplies shortage could leave U.S. with deadly pandemic (Newsweek)
- How Zika Virus Went From Mild to Devastating (U.S. News & World Report)
- Why flu vaccines so often fail (Science Magazine)