Mark Kortepeter joins us in our Tech Talk series to talk about Crises Inside The Hot Zone And Tales From A Career In Biodefense
Mark G. Kortepeter, MD, MPH [Colonel, Medical Corps, U.S. Army (retired)], is a physician, scientist, soldier, and author. Dr. Kortepeter’s career has spanned the hospital, research lab, the lecture hall, the battlefield, and the corner office. He is the Vice President for Research at the Uniformed Services University (USU) and Professor of Preventive Medicine and Medicine. Prior to that, he was a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Director of the Special Pathogens Research Network.
During a 27-year Army career, Dr. Kortepeter held numerous senior positions in biodefense and research, including Deputy Commander of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Associate Dean for Research and Director of the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program at USU, Biodefense Consultant for the Army Surgeon General, and co-chair of NATO’s Biomedical Advisory Panel. He has worked with multiple organizations, including the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the CDC, and the National
Academy of Medicine. He received numerous military awards, including the Legion of Merit and he is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
Dr. Kortepeter enjoys opportunities to work in field environments. In 2018/2019, he served as the lead for Infection Prevention and Control against Ebola virus for the World Health Organization in Burundi, and in 2020 he worked as a consultant to the Pan American Health Organization helping hospitals prepare for COVID-19 in the Caribbean. Dr. Kortepeter received a BA from Harvard University, an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health, and his MD from Rutgers Newark. He is board certified in Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases. He has published over 90 journal articles and book chapters, and a medical thriller memoir of his experiencing managing infectious disease/biodefense crises while at USAMRIID titled “Inside the Hot Zone: a Soldier on the Front Lines of Biological Warfare.” Dr. Kortepeter is also a medical contributor to Forbes.com on stories related to infectious diseases, biodefense, and pandemic preparedness.