Guthrie S. Birkhead

Biography

Professor Guthrie S. Birkhead works in the areas of epidemiology and policy development related to immunizations, communicable diseases including HIV, public health surveillance, integration of public/population health with clinical medicine and health system transformation, and public health workforce development. Dr. Birkhead has been on the faculty of the School of Public Health since 1988. He worked at the New York State Department of Health for 27 years and served as Deputy Commissioner and Director of the Office of Public Health from 2007 until his retirement in 2015. From 2001 to 2005, Dr. Birkhead was a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the U.S. Public Health Service. From 2006 to 2011, Dr. Birkhead was a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) of the US Department of Health and Human Services. He served as NVAC chair from 2008 to 2011. Dr. Birkhead is the co-author of more than 130 articles in the medical literature and 8 book chapters. He received his AB degree from Princeton University, his MD degree from Yale University School of Medicine, and his Master in Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He is a graduate of the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service and Preventive Medicine Residency Program, and is board certified in Internal Medicine and in Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

Research Interest

Immunizations; communicable diseases (such as HIV); public health surveillance; integration of public/population health with clinical medicine and health system transformation; public health workforce development