by Holly Fletcher
Edwin Trevathan, MD, MPH, who has served as director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) since January 2018, has announced plans to step down from the director role. As he makes this leadership transition, he will continue to actively participate in the VIGH and contribute to its missions.
Trevathan, the Amos Christie Chair in Global Health and professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, will leave the director role on July 1, 2022, to focus on his research portfolio, clinical work, teaching and mentoring at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“Serving as the director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health has been a joy, and I have great respect for all of you and your commitment to our mission — partnering with colleagues around the world to improve the health of some of the most vulnerable people through research, training and education. Over the past several months I have developed confidence in the future of VIGH,” said Trevathan, who will have led VIGH for four-and-a-half years.
Under Trevathan the VIGH has grown significantly. He has built robust programs in research, education and public health, said Russell Rothman, MD, MPP, Senior Vice President, Population and Public Health and director, Institute for Medicine and Public Health. The VIGH has grown to currently include nearly 20 core faculty and more than 80 members, plus specialized staff who are supporting projects around the world.
“Ed plans to continue as an active member of the VIGH and the VUMC faculty, continuing his research in global health. We greatly appreciate his outstanding leadership of VIGH. The institute is committed to improving the health and well-being of people around the world — especially those in low- and middle-income countries. Please join me in congratulating Ed on an outstanding job to date and in his transition to a more research-focused career at Vanderbilt,” Rothman said.
Rothman and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, director, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and Executive Vice President for Research, will establish a search committee to conduct a robust national search for a new director.
“We will be reaching out for input from VIGH staff and faculty and also many of you as we launch this search. VUMC is committed to investing resources to recruit a new director and will continue to support the valuable work of VIGH,” said Rothman.