David J. Spiro, Ph.D., Acting Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
David J. Spiro, Ph.D., serves as Acting Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH). In this role, Dr. Spiro provides strategic and scientific leadership for DMID’s broad national and international research portfolio supporting the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases caused by a wide range of pathogens, including emerging and re-emerging threats.
Dr. Spiro previously served as Director of the Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies at the Fogarty International Center, NIH, from 2017 to 2025. In that role, he oversaw research programs advancing mathematical modeling of infectious disease dynamics, population immunity, and genomic epidemiology, including international training and capacity-building initiatives in infectious disease modeling, bioinformatics and the development of best practices in biosafety and biosecurity.
Earlier, Dr. Spiro served at NIAID/DMID from 2010 to 2017 as Chief of the Influenza, SARS, and Other Related Viral Respiratory Diseases Section. In this role, he worked closely with HHS and other U.S. Government agencies to enhance U.S. readiness for emerging influenza threats and support development of vaccines and other countermeasures, with a particular focus on advancing universal influenza vaccine candidates from preclinical development into clinical evaluation. During his time at DMID, Dr. Spiro contributed to the development and implementation of robust oversight and governance policies for research involving enhanced pathogens.
Prior to joining NIH, Dr. Spiro led the Viral Genomics Group at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Maryland, directing large-scale genome sequencing initiatives focused on influenza and coronaviruses and developing high-throughput sequencing platforms for monitoring RNA virus evolution. He previously conducted parasite and viral genomics research at The Institute for Genomic Research and at New England Biolabs, where he studied the filarial parasite Brugia malayi.
Dr. Spiro earned his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Harvard University and received his B.A. in Biology and History from Columbia College.