STAT Political repair work has mixed with concern about outbreaks of infectious diseases. A year ago last week, Jeanne Marrazzo stepped into a very big pair of shoes.
Marrazzo became the first new director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in decades, taking over a job held for 38 years by Anthony Fauci, whose long-term status as a science god in Washington gave way to Covid-19 fall guy in some quarters during and after the pandemic. The months since have been a whirlwind for Marrazzo, a veteran researcher in the field of sexually transmitted infections — especially their effect on women. She has been climbing a steep learning curve, getting to know the research institute she now leads. Lots of time has been spent repairing relations between the NIAID and the lawmakers who sign off on its $6.6 billion annual budget.
In that time Marrazzo, who pronounces her first name as “Jeannie,” has mainly opted to stay out of the limelight.
Last week, though, Marrazzo sat for an interview with STAT to discuss all kinds of issues, including the U.S. outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in cows — and maybe in health workers in Missouri — as well as the mpox outbreaks in Africa and her hopes for NIAID. (The interview took place the day before Rwanda announced it was dealing with its first Marburg outbreak, so there was no discussion of that highly concerning situation.)