Hubert-Yeargan Advisory Committee

James M. Hughes, MD

Emory University

James M. Hughes, MD, holds joint appointments in the School of Medicine and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, serving as director of the Emory Center for Global Safe Water, director of the Emory Program in Global Infectious Diseases, and associate director of the Southeastern Center for Emerging Biological Threats.

Prior to joining Emory in June 2005, Dr. Hughes worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), serving as Director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and a Rear Admiral and an Assistant Surgeon General in the U.S. Public Health Service. He first joined CDC as an officer in the Epidemic Intelligence Service in 1973. He worked initially on foodborne and waterborne diseases and subsequently on infection control in healthcare settings. He served as Director of CDC's Hospital Infections Program from 1983 to 1988, as Deputy Director of NCID from 1988-1992, and as Director of NCID from 1992-2005.

Dr. Hughes received his BA and MD degrees from Stanford University and has completed postgraduate training in internal medicine (University of Washington), infectious diseases (University of Virginia), and preventive medicine (CDC). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and serves on the IOM's Forum on Emerging Infections. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). He currently serves on the board of directors for IDSA and on the Global Health Diagnostics Forum of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Hughes' research interests include identifying factors contributing to the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance; implementing and evaluating policies and practices for preventing, rapidly detecting, and responding to infectious agents; and assessing the political, economic, and social implications of disease outbreaks. Among his honors and awards are the Distinguished and Meritorious Service Medals and the Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Award from the U.S. Public Health Service and the Secretary's Open Forum Distinguished Public Service Award from the U.S. State Department.