The Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) is marking 20 years of work on maternal and child health, noncommunicable diseases, HIV and pandemic response through research, education and international partnerships.
Since its founding in 2005, VIGH has grown from a small team focused on HIV/AIDS research to an institute with projects in more than 20 countries and more than 150 faculty members and staff from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University and international organizations.
“We started with a vision of all people thriving in healthy communities and enhancing individual health through research discoveries and local partnerships,” said Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH, director of the institute and member of the VIGH leadership team since 2014. “Over the past two decades, this vision has shaped our partnerships and contributed to strengthening health systems around the world.”
Research and innovation
The institute leads studies on HIV, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, epilepsy, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mobile health, and it has worked to strengthen health systems through partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. VIGH has prioritized training local researchers, clinicians and grant administrators.
In 2022, VIGH-affiliated faculty secured over $100 million in extramural awards within a single year.
- Timothy Sterling, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and holder of the David E. Rogers Professorship, founded the Vanderbilt Tuberculosis Center in 2012 and serves as its director. The research hub focuses on multisite TB studies with emphasis on epidemiology, clinical trials and translational research. The center recently received a five-year, $4 million grant to investigate pathogen and host predictors of M. tuberculosis transmission.
- James Crowe, MD, the Ann Scott Carell Professor, University Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Chemistry, and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, and his research team discovered an antibody to combat SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in early 2020. His lab continues research that supports the development and testing of new antibody treatments for infectious diseases.
- Carolyn Audet, PhD, MSci, professor of Health Policy and associate director of Research at VIGH, is leading a 42-community cluster randomized controlled trial to determine if delegating HIV counseling and testing tasks to traditional healers can improve testing rates, treatment uptake and adherence to HIV regimens in rural South Africa.
Expanding reach
Under the leadership of founding director Sten Vermund, MD, PhD, VIGH established a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that provided HIV care in Mozambique. With technical oversight from William Wester, MD, MPH, professor of Medicine, and operational management from Julie Lankford, MBA, this NGO supported the provision of antiretroviral therapy across 141 health facilities in Zambezia province. This program was transitioned to a Mozambican NGO in 2024 and continues to advance HIV epidemic control in Mozambique. A similar program in Nigeria provided HIV treatment and prevention services to 128,000 patients between 2008 and 2013 before transitioning to local Nigerian management.
Three core faculty members from VIGH — Aliyu, Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH, and Wester — established a research and training infrastructure at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Nigeria. To date, more than 10 clinical trials have been conducted at AKTH. DeBaun, professor of Pediatrics, holds the J.C. Peterson, MD Chair.
Edwin (Ed) Trevathan, MD, MPH, former VIGH director, holder of the Amos Christie Chair, and professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, established the institute’s epilepsy research focus in Nigeria. His work has paved the way for two new epilepsy epidemiology and genomics studies scheduled to begin in 2025.
Jessica Castilho, MD, MPH, associate professor of Medicine and Health Policy, and Stephany Duda, PhD, associate professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine, co-lead a network that harmonizes observational HIV data from multiple sites across the Caribbean, Central America and South America for epidemiological investigation and for the development of tools to optimize global research efficiency.
Education and training
More than 700 trainees have completed National Institutes of Health-supported research training programs through VIGH, with many now holding leadership positions in academic institutions and health care organizations worldwide. Over 1,500 scholars have completed short courses, degree and postdoctoral programs through the institute.
In 2012, the institute launched the Global Health track within the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Master of Public Health program under the leadership of Douglas Heimburger, MD, MS, emeritus professor of Medicine, and Marie H. Martin, PhD, MEd, associate professor of Health Policy. Since then, 120 graduates have completed this track, securing positions in government, NGOs, academic institutions and the private sector. VIGH faculty have trained and mentored over 150 medical students in global health research.
Joey Starnes, who earned his MPH in 2018 and MD in 2019, served as a leader in the student-run Shade Tree Clinic, which provides clinical care to patients while offering students experiential learning opportunities. Starnes now serves as an Advanced Cardiac Imaging Fellow at VUMC.
Rachel Idowu, MD, who completed her MPH in 2014, served as the U.S. CDC Country Director in Liberia in 2021, where she scaled COVID-19 vaccinations to achieve over 80% coverage. She currently serves as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service and is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Health Policy at VUMC.
Looking ahead
As VIGH enters its third decade, the institute is broadening its focus to include global surgery and data science while expanding work on cancer, cardiovascular health and mobile health. The institute plans to deepen collaborations and strengthen its role in policy-relevant research.
“Our journey has been shaped by the relationships we’ve built and our shared commitment to evidence-based health solutions,” said Aliyu, who holds the Directorship in Global Health at VUMC. “The next 20 years will be just as transformative. This anniversary is not just a reflection of our achievements; it also serves as a launchpad for what comes next.”
