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Jason Blackard, PhD, Named Director of New Office of Global Health

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3 minute read January 27, 2014

CINCINNATI —Jason Blackard, PhD, has been named the director of a new office of Global Health within the UC College of Medicine. 

"With several ongoing international efforts, it is time that the College of Medicine have a more organized and well-defined mission in this area and take advantage of increasing education and research opportunities for faculty and students around the world," says College of Medicine Dean Thomas Boat, MD, in a memo announcing the appointment. "Dr. Blackard’s intense interest in international health and significant research and educational experiences in other countries made him the perfect choice for this position."

 
In this new role, Blackard will coordinate all activities associated with the effort to establish an international medical school at Chongqing Medical University in China. He also will coordinate and enhance current affiliation agreements with medical schools in Japan, Germany and Israel and establish new agreements with other schools expanding educational and research opportunities for faculty and students.

Additionally, Blackard will work with medical and graduate students on global health electives and coordinate visiting international scholars and students in their visits to Cincinnati. He also will create a Global Health Advisory Group to help guide college initiatives and serve as the college’s liaison to other UC entities focused on international education. 
 
He will report to Andrew Filak Jr., MD, senior associate dean for academic affairs.
 
An associate professor of internal medicine in the division of digestive diseases, Blackard will continue his current research in HIV and viral hepatitis and education responsibilities while assuming this new role. He will, however, step down from his role as program director of the pathobiology and molecular medicine graduate program. 
 
Blackard received bachelor degrees in biology and Spanish from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate in biological sciences in public health from the Harvard University. He joined the College of Medicine faculty in 2005 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In 2007, he received an American Society for Microbiology Young Investigator Award for research excellence in microbiology and infectious disease. He also has developed study abroad programs in Ghana, South Africa and Botswana for UC students interested in public health and international research, and conducts federally funded research in South Africa.

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