Faculty spotlight: Anna Wald

Dr. Anna Wald is stepping down as head of the Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the end of July. She became the fourth head of the division in 2017, and the first woman division head.

She holds joint appointments in the Department of Epidemiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, and the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division at Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Wald earned her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed her residency at Boston City Hospital.

She moved to Seattle in 1989 and was recruited by Drs. Ann Collier and Lawrence Corey to join the University of Washington’s AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, where she enrolled participants in studies of emerging HIV therapies.

In 1994, she completed her fellowship in infectious diseases (focusing on clinical virology) and MPH in epidemiology and subsequently joined the division as junior faculty.

Leadership

Under her leadership, the division has expanded from 97 to more than 170 faculty members, saw clinical activity increase by 140%, and achieved a 120% increase in grant funding.

“Under her direction, the division has flourished despite difficult fiscal times, because she introduces a sense of calm and optimism of opportunity and possibility that captures people’s imagination and demonstrates leadership qualities that are essential for continuing growth of our field,” said Dr. Larry Corey.

During her tenure, researchers advanced global understanding of COVID‑19—detecting the first U.S. community transmission, leading Phase 3 vaccine and monoclonal antibody trials, conducting foundational studies, helping launch the United World for Antiviral Research Network, and driving long‑COVID research.

“I deeply appreciate Anna's leadership which included many milestones for AID with expansion of faculty, research funding, and clinical programs, said Dr. Tom Hawn. “She navigated major challenges with great skill and leadership, including a central role for AID and its faculty in the local and international response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

She also supported and led important initiatives in the division in response to the evolving uncertainties with the federal research funding landscape.

“With the federal administration’s targeting of the NIH and CDC and the subsequent loss of grant funding for many AID faculty, Anna stepped forward and found clinical and other opportunities for research and teaching faculty that helped keep them salaried and employed,” said Dr. Bob Harrington. “She worked to make sure all faculty were equitably rewarded for the work they did - whether administrative, investigative, educational or clinical. She knows that all have value and need to be fairly acknowledged and compensated for the service they provide.”

Research

A recognized expert in infections affecting people with compromised immune systems, including those undergoing cancer treatment or living with HIV, her work spans the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of herpes viruses, as well as the development of vaccines targeting a range of viral pathogens.

Internationally recognized for her groundbreaking research in sexually transmitted infections, Wald has an outstanding publication record and sustained competitive funding.

“Anna is an internationally renowned physician scientist and best known for her work in genital herpes, where she is the most prominent clinician scientist in the US and internationally,” said Corey.

In recent years, COVID‑19 has become a major component of her research portfolio. Her clinic was designated a Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit within the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium, expanding her group’s involvement in vaccine development and related studies. She also served as an investigator on Novavax COVID‑19 vaccine trials and helped to expand the participation in these trials to tribal partners in Bellingham.

“During the pandemic, Anna led with her virology focus and expertise on COVID and she helped guide the development of diagnostic and treatment guidelines as well as supporting AID faculty who were doing front-line work caring for patients or investigating the virus,” said Harrington.

Teaching and mentoring

Teaching and mentoring has been a prominent part of her academic career. She developed and taught a course on vaccines at the School of Public Health (Epidemiology 527) for 11 years and has served as the chair of the MPH, MS or PhD committee for 50 trainees.

“Anna has always prioritized mentoring the next generation of ID clinicians and scientists,” said Dr. Christine Johnston. “She held an NIH K24 Midcareer Mentoring Award for many years and deeply impacted innumerable ID and epidemiology trainees. As Division Head, she has been a strong supporter of the ID Fellowship Program and championed several difficult but necessary changes to keep our program strong.

She is deeply engaged with her mentees and provides warmth, humor, and wisdom while giving efficient and decisive advice and direction. Anna’s mentees are mentees for life – she keeps in touch with many former trainees and they reach out at critical time points throughout their careers. She is an incredible role model as a leader, clinician, and scientist.”     

Wald has served as the PI for the STD and AIDS Research Training Grant and participates in the UW/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) developmental core.

“Anna is unique in engaging mentees, putting them at ease and putting together diverse research teams of physicians, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, behavioral and implementation scientists, and ethicists to welcome trainees with diverse backgrounds into the research community,” said Corey. “Her style works in the US and internationally, where she has taught manuscript and grant workshops for trainees in both Nairobi and Uganda annually for more than 15 years.”

Honors and awards

She has received numerous awards, including the Fialkow Scholar Award, UW Medicine Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women and Minorities, Association for Women in Science Award for Scientific Advancement and the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association Distinguished Career Award.

In 2020, she delivered the distinguished John F. Enders Lecture, an honor considered one of the most prestigious recognitions in North America for leaders in infectious diseases since its establishment in 1988.

“Anna is a mission-oriented and principled leader and her passion for education, research, and clinical care is evident in the growth and impact of the division over the last decade,” said Dr. Trish Kritek, interim department chair.

“I am excited for her to enter the next chapter of her career with the opportunity to focus on her research in clinical virology and STI’s as well as prioritize the mentorship of the next generation of academic physicians and scientists.

I would like to personally thank her for her many years of service and outstanding contributions to the division and department.”