Lothar H. Wieler

Lothar H. Wieler, Chair of Digital Global Public Health at Hasso-Plattner-Insitute, University Potsdam, Germany, is a microbiologist and global public health expert. Initially focusing on the molecular pathogenesis, genomic surveillance, and evolution of infectious agents, particularly zoonotic and antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, he extended his research to public and global health, concentrating on disease prevention and containment of pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential. He currently extends his research to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, conducting studies in the field of digital health, with a particular focus on global public health issues. His goal is to reduce health inequalities by promoting digital public health at local, national, and global level, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). After holding a full professorship at Freie University Berlin from 1998, he was president of the Robert Koch-Institute from 2015 to 2023. Wieler is member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (Chair of section “Global Health”), and among others Member of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (WHO, UNEP, FAO, WHOAH), the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards (WHO) and the Sciana network.