Biography
Dr. Merlin Robb is a highly esteemed expert in infectious diseases and a senior military medical leader, currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. In this capacity, he offers strategic leadership on various medical and public health concerns, including developing protocols to protect the healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. His experience in the field underscores his pivotal role in guiding military and public health initiatives related to infectious diseases.
Throughout his career, Dr. Robb has held significant positions, such as the HIV Program Director for the U.S. Military HIV Research Program from 2002 to 2019 and leadership roles within the Department of Vaccine Development at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research from 1990 to 2002. He is a board-certified paediatric infectious disease specialist with a broad research background encompassing molecular biology, HIV vaccine development, paediatric HIV, immuno-therapeutic trials, and clinical trial design. His contributions extend globally through vaccine development efforts in East Africa and Asia, and he played a key role as co-chair of the vaccine development group in the U.S. COVID-19 initiative, “Operation Warp Speed.” With more than 430 peer-reviewed publications, his research spans numerous infectious diseases, including COVID-19, HIV, Ebola, MERS-CoV, Anthrax, and Zika. Dr. Robb also teaches as a Professor of Paediatrics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and is actively involved in clinical training and research at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He earned his MD from Baylor College of Medicine in 1981, completing his internship and residency at Madigan Army Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Walter Reed.
