Dr John Nkengasong is the Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Until recently, he served as the deputy principal director (acting) at the Center for Global Health, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC). He received a Masters degree in Tropical Biomedical Science from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, a Masters degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Brussels School of Medicine and a Doctorate in Medical Sciences (Virology) from the University of Brussels, Belgium. Between 1993-95 he was Chief of Virology and the WHO Collaborating Center on HIV Diagnostics in the Department of Microbiology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. He joined the US CDC in 1995 as Chief of the Virology Laboratory at the US CDC Abidjan office in Côte d’Ivoire. He has received numerous awards for his work including, but not limited to, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence in Public Health Protection Research, the Sheppard Award, the US Director’s Recognitions Award. Most recently, Dr Nkengasong was awarded the William Watson Medal of Excellence, the highest recognition awarded by CDC, awarded for outstanding contributions and leadership in advancing global laboratory services and programs to support the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He is also a recipient of the knight of honour medal granted by by the government of Côte d’Ivoire, and on 19 June 2017 was knighted to the National Order of the Lion by the president of Senegal, HE Macky Sall, for his significant contributions to public health. He has authored over 200 peer-review articles in international journals and published several book chapters, and served on various international advisory boards.