UNC’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Offers Research, Education, and Clinical Opportunities

The University of North Carolina (UNC)’s renowned Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases (IGHID) was established in 2007 and brings together the university’s 5 health science schools with a particular interest in infectious disease.¹

“The institute was formed in order to bring together and create synergy among all these different parts, and that's proven to be true, and then to create opportunities that would otherwise be difficult,” said Myron Cohen, MD, the institute's director. “And in particular, [we wanted] to build infrastructure in North Carolina and in other countries so that investigators could pursue their goals with much greater ease.”

The institute’s roots are in research, and it offers opportunities around the world. They work in 45 countries.¹

“We have fairly large infrastructure in Asia, Africa, South America, and North Carolina, so we can help direct investigators from all of our health science schools and the rest of the campus to the best place to achieve their goals,” Cohen said.

In addition, he says the institute has large regulatory and grants management teams that help investigators more easily navigate potential research avenues and secure grants.

The institute secured $323 million in contracts and grants during fiscal years 2020-2024, conducted over 200 studies in 2024, and published over 1000 papers that same year.¹

In addition to research, UNC offers top-tier trainee and fellowship education. They have 35 postgraduates, physicians, and fellows and have trained over 750 fellows since 1998. The institute has also won 50 awards.

In future episodes, we will detail clinical service opportunities and the work IGHID members are performing both in the US and globally.

Look for the next episode on Monday when UNC Director of the Infectious Diseases Training Program Christopher Sellers, MD, discusses the percentage of infectious disease trainees who stay at UNC and potential career paths for them.

Reference
1. Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. University of North Carolina. Accessed August 22, 2025. https://globalhealth.unc.edu/