Dr. Elias Zerhouni, senior fellow in the Global Health Program, advises the foundation in its discovery, policy and advocacy strategies. He is also an executive committee board member for the foundation’s Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative.
Zerhouni served as director the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2002 to 2008. As director, he launched the Roadmap for Medical Research in 2003 to enhance synergy between all 27 NIH institutes and centers and to fund compelling research initiatives that no single institute could support. In addition, Zerhouni launched a series of new programs to encourage high-risk, innovative research and interdisciplinary research and to support early career scientists. During Zerhouni’s tenure, the NIH tripled its international funding for global health. In 2006, Congress passed the NIH Reform Act, only the third such congressional act since the creation of the NIH, institutionalizing Zerhouni’s innovative reforms.
Prior to joining the NIH, Zerhouni was the executive vice dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, chair of the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Martin Donner professor of radiology, and professor of biomedical engineering.
Zerhouni earned his medical degree from the University of Algiers School of Medicine and completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at Johns Hopkins as chief resident. His research has focused on pioneering new quantitative imaging methods based on CAT and MRI scanning to diagnose and treat cancer and pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. He served on the National Cancer Institute's Board of Scientific Advisors from 1998 to 2002, and has been elected a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2000. He is also the author of 212 publications and holds eight patents.
