Physician. Epidemiologist. Public Health Leader

Dedicated to making the world safer and healthier.



Biography

Learn more about Dr. Jay K. Varma’s journey in public health and his commitment to improving global health.

Career

Explore Dr. Varma’s extensive career in public health leadership roles.

A globally recognized expert in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, I have led epidemic responses, shaped national and global health policies, and developed large-scale programs that saved hundreds of thousands of lives across the United States, Africa, and Asia.

From 2001 to 2021, I served in the United States Public Health Service as a physician and epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with postings in Atlanta, Bangkok, Beijing, Addis Ababa, and New York City. After retiring as a Captain in the United States Public Health Service, I served as a professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medical School and as a physician-executive developing treatments for pandemic-prone infectious diseases.

I currently work as a physician caring for patients with or at risk of HIV infection, and as a science communicator through my YouTube channel (ThermometerHQ), my Psychology Today blog (Fevered Mind), and other outlets.

I have authored more than 150 scientific publications and written essays for major media outlets, including The New York TimesThe Washington Post, and The Atlantic. My expertise has been featured on CNN, BBC, NPR, Bloomberg, national and local news programs, and multiple podcasts and radio broadcasts.