NYC Health + Hospitals today announced the appointment of Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP, CHEP to the new role of Chief Biopreparedness Officer.
In this role, Dr. Madad will lead the systemwide special pathogens team in preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts. She will oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive bio-preparedness strategies and policies to enhance the healthcare system’s readiness against biological threats, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Madad will also develop and maintain robust education and training programs for healthcare workers, focusing on screening, enhanced infection control, patient management, and the use of high-level personal protective equipment. This also includes overseeing the design and execution of drills, exercises and simulations for healthcare staff to ensure high proficiency in response protocols and procedures related to biological emergencies, such as an exercise last year around the Marburg virus, an Ebola-like disease. Additional responsibilities include overseeing the systemwide special pathogens internship program and the climate health fellowship program as part of Central Office Emergency Management, monitoring global infectious disease trends and system-level surveillance, and collaborating with partner agencies across all levels of government. Earlier this year, Dr. Madad was featured in an episode of the health system’s podcast, The Remedy, where she spoke about how NYC Health + Hospitals is preparing for the next pandemic.
“Dr. Madad is an internationally-recognized expert on emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Assistant Vice President of Emergency Management David Silvestri, MD, MBA, MHS. “Her experience and skillset are critical in helping NYC Health + Hospitals achieve our mission of keeping New Yorkers safe and healthy regardless of what threats may arise.”
“I am deeply honored to serve as the Chief Biopreparedness Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals, a role that embodies our commitment to health security as the cornerstone of a resilient health system,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Biopreparedness Officer Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP, CHEP. “I am dedicated to advancing our capabilities not just to respond, but to proactively anticipate, mitigate, and prepare for biological threats. Through fostering innovative strategies and building strong partnerships, I am committed to enhancing our system’s resilience. Together with the dedicated teams at the NYC Health + Hospitals Central Office Emergency Management and the System-wide Special Pathogens Program, we will continue to strengthen our emergency management efforts.”
In addition to her role at NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Madad is Core Faculty at the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center, affiliate faculty at the Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Policy & Research at Boston University and Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She’s an advisor to the World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research as well as on the federal advisory group, National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity. Dr. Madad has made substantial contributions to the field of science through her publication of papers, book chapters, and journal articles and has presented her work at over 70 conferences globally.
Dr. Madad regularly authors, is frequently quoted in, and appears on major news outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox among others. She is featured in the 2020 Emmy-nominated Netflix docuseries, Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak and the 2021 Discovery Channel documentary, The Vaccine: Conquering COVID. She’s the recent recipient of the “Top Doctors Pumphandle” Award, named in honor of John Snow and recognizes those who are trailblazers in the field of epidemiology and outbreak response.
Previously, Dr. Madad served as the Senior Director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health + Hospitals and Co-Principal Investigator of NYC Health + Hospitals Institute of Diseases and Disaster Management. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was the Health & Safety Lead of the Enhanced Special Investigations Unit of the NYC Test & Trace Corps.
Dr. Madad earned her Doctoral degree in Health Science with a concentration in Global Health from Nova Southeastern University, graduating with Alpha Eta Health Science Honor Society status. She obtained her Master of Science degree in Biotechnology with a concentration in Biodefense and Biosecurity and Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland.
NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org – stay connected.
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