Leadership

Office of the Director

Denise Cardo, MD
Acting Director

Dr. Denise Cardo is the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office of Science, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (OSELS). In this role, Dr. Cardo provides critical leadership in the application of information, computer science, and technology to improve public health practice, research, and learning.

Previously, Dr. Cardo served as the director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). She joined CDC in 1993 as a medical epidemiologist in the HIV Infections Branch, Hospital Infections Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, and in 1998 she became chief of this branch. In 2000, she became the chief of the Prevention and Evaluation Branch in the same division.

Prior to joining CDC, Dr. Cardo had a distinguished career in the division of infectious diseases at one of Brazil's prestigious medical institutions, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she received her medical degree in 1980, completed her residency and fellowship, and joined the faculty as an associate professor of infectious diseases. In addition, she was a co-founder and president of Sao Paulo Association of Infection Control and a consultant to the Brazilian Ministry of Health. During 1990-1991, she did a sabbatical at the Hospital Epidemiology Program, University of Tennessee, Memphis, under the supervision of Dr. Glen Mayhall.

Dr. Cardo's interests include patient safety, prevention of healthcare-associated infections, and antimicrobial resistance. She is the author of numerous research and peer-reviewed papers and book chapters.