Key points
- Prevent disease, disability, and death from viral diseases
- Collaborate with partners in response to outbreaks and surveillance
- Optimize the safe, efficient, and effective use of vaccines
Our mission
DVD's mission is to prevent disease, disability, and death from viral diseases through immunization and other prevention measures. Additionally, DVD collaborates with domestic and international partners in response to outbreaks, surveillance, and other public health activities.
Priorities
- Conduct and provide scientific consultation and support for viral disease outbreak investigations
- Build and support viral disease detection and reporting capacity
- Conduct and support epidemiological and laboratory research to prevent and control diseases and syndromes caused by viruses
- Provide scientific leadership for evidence-based decision making on the use of viral vaccines and other prevention measures
- Communicate evidence-based findings and prevention strategies for viral diseases and syndromes
Goals
- Optimizing safe, efficient, and effective use of vaccines
- Identifying, characterizing, and evaluating other prevention measures
- Improving capacity to prevent disease and response to outbreaks
Leadership
Director: Mo Patel (Acting), MD, MS, MBA
Dr. Manisha (Mo) Patel is the Acting DVD Director. Dr. Patel currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for NCIRD and is a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Patel brings more than 15 years of leadership and technical experience in surveillance, study design and implementation, emergency response, and vaccine policy and communications for vaccine-preventable and other respiratory diseases. As CMO, she directs and oversees cross-cutting and multi-functional program activities including NCIRD's healthcare provider strategy.
Dr. Patel is double-board certified and completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry and fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology from Boston College, medical degree from Ben Gurion University, Master of Science from Einstein College of Medicine, and a Master of Business Administration from Emory University Goizueta School of Business. She continues to provide part-time clinical care to children in Georgia who are medically underserved.
