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Peter Piot

Epidemiology and Statistics

A Belgian microbiologist who was part of the scientific team that identified the Ebola virus during the first recognized Ebola outbreak, in Zaire in 1976, and who helped bring that outbreak under control. He went on to become a leading researcher on HIV and AIDS in Africa, and in 1994 was appointed the founding executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, and an Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, a position he held for more than a decade while building the international response to the global AIDS epidemic. Piot later directed the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and over his career authored sixteen books and more than 600 scientific articles on infectious disease.

Facts
Birth Year
1949 1
Birth Date
1949-02-17 1
Nationality
Belgian-British 1
Notable For
Co-discovered the Ebola virus in 1976 and became a leading researcher on AIDS, serving in senior United Nations and World Health Organization roles. 1
Connections

Associated With

Global Health, Branches

Peter Piot, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus, was the founding Executive Director of UNAIDS from 1995 to 2008.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Peter Piot
Wikipedia
  • Lead section, opening sentence
    Sir Peter Karel, Baron Piot (born 17 February 1949) is a Belgian-British microbiologist known for his research into Ebola and AIDS.
  • Lead section, further sentence
    After helping discover the Ebola virus in 1976 and leading efforts to contain the first-ever recorded Ebola epidemic that same year, Piot became a pioneering researcher into AIDS. He has held key positions in the United Nations and World Health Organization involving AIDS research and management.
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