Beyrer Reappointed Duke Global Health Institute Director

Chris Beyrer has been reappointed to a second five-year term as director of the Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) following a standard review for administrators, Provost Alec D. Gallimore and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine Mary E. Klotman announced.

Founded in 2006 as part of Duke commitment to spark innovation in global health research and education, DGHI brings together knowledge and resources from across the university to address the most important global health issues of our time. Institute faculty, staff, and students conduct research with local partners in 49 countries, including the United States.

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“Under Chris Beyrer’s steadfast leadership, DGHI has built on its 20-year history of fighting the toughest health challenges facing humankind,” Gallimore said. “The institute’s partnerships around the world demonstrate the tremendous value of Duke’s global engagement, and I’m delighted to continue working with Chris to expand DGHI’s impact.”

Beyrer, an internationally recognized epidemiologist who has worked on the front lines of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 treatment and research, became director of DGHI in August 2022. He is the Gary Hock Distinguished Professor in Global Health and holds appointments in in the Departments of Medicine and Infectious Diseases in the School of Medicine.

“Chris has provided remarkable leadership during a time of significant challenges and opportunities for global health,” Klotman said. “He is a collaborative leader who has strengthened the institute’s culture, expanded its partnerships, and advanced innovative research and education programs that improve health around the world.” 

The review was conducted by a faculty committee chaired by Lesley H. Curtis, the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences in the School of Medicine. 

The committee praised Beyrer’s leadership in a challenging and uncertain external environment for research funding and education programs, elevating of DGHI’s visibility nationally and internationally, positive impact on the institute’s culture and community, and reputation as a proponent of capacity building and partnership development. 

Beyrer was also commended for advancing key priority areas for DGHI, such as climate and health, global mental health, and educational innovation. His accomplishments since becoming director include:

• investing strategic growth funds to launch the Climate and Global Health Initiative, an effort to spark interdisciplinary research and education on the health implications of climate change;
• establishing observatories the Amazon, East Africa, Southeast Asia and the southern United States to collect and share data and other resources within regions that are experiencing significant impacts from climate change;
• forming the Center for Global Mental Health, a hub to connect psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, policy experts, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and physicians across multiple specialties who are working to understand and reduce mental health disparities and improve access to effective mental health care;
• and convening a series of meetings of DGHI partners in East Africa and Southeast Asia to explore new avenues for collaboration on research and bilateral training, part of a vision to deepen partnerships with the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, which was co-founded by Duke alumnus Paul Farmer.“

"Dr. Beyrer has been a steadying and energizing presence, shepherding the Institute through a critical period and raising its visibility nationally and internationally,” Curtis said.  “Stakeholders across Duke and around the world consistently pointed to his skill in building equitable partnerships and his deep personal commitment to human rights. We are confident DGHI will continue to thrive under his leadership.”