Saad Omer

Dr. Saad B. Omer is the Founding Dean of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

Dr Omer is former director of the Yale Institute for Global Health and was also the Harvey & Kate Cushing Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at Yale School of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at Yale School of Public Health. 

Dr. Omer has conducted studies in the United States, Guatemala, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Australia. His research portfolio includes epidemiology of respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and - more recently - SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19); clinical trials to estimate efficacy of maternal and/or infant influenza, pertussis, polio, measles and pneumococcal vaccines; and trials to evaluate drug regimens to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV.  Moreover, he has conducted several studies on interventions to increase immunization coverage and acceptance. His work has also included public health preparedness strategies to effectively respond to large emerging and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks. Dr Omer’s work has been cited in global and country-specific policy recommendations and has informed clinical practice and health legislation in several countries. He has directly mentored over 100 junior faculty, clinical and research post-doctoral fellows, and PhD and other graduate students. As of December 2022, Dr. Omer had published over 425 papers in peer reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Lancet, British Medical Journal, Nature, and Science. Moreover, he has written op-eds for publications such as the New York Times, Politico, Foreign Policy, and the Washington Post.

Dr Omer has received multiple awards – including the Maurice Hilleman Award by the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases for his work on the impact of maternal influenza immunization on respiratory illness in infants younger than 6 months- for whom there is no vaccine. He has served as an academic affiliate of the Office of Evaluation Sciences (formerly known as the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team) and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine