Barry Bloom is Harvard University's Distinguished Service Professor of the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Former Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health. He is widely recognized for his work in the area of immunology, infectious diseases, vaccines, and global health. He has made important discoveries in immunity to tuberculosis and leprosy. He served as a consultant to the White House on International Health Policy from 1977 to 1978, was elected President of the American Association of Immunologists, and served as President of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in 1986. Dr. Bloom has served on the National Advisory Councils of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseaes, NIH, the Center for Infectious Diseases of the CDC and the National Advisory Board of the Fogarty International Center at NIH. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the KwaZulu Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis. He has received numerous awards for his scientific work including the first Bristol-Myers Award in Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in research, and shared the Novartis Award in Immunology.