Member Spotlight: David K Warren, MD, MPH

Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases

University of Nebraska Medical Center

What brought you to Nebraska? 

I came to Nebraska for the opportunity to lead an excellent ID Division at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine. There are many strengths of the program, including faculty who are recognized leaders in HIV care, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, immunocompromised ID, and biopreparedness, just to name a few. The Division has developed innovative programs around remote care of ID patients and supporting infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship in rural areas of the state, which have served as models nationally.

Given the challenges faced by the field of infectious diseases, how do you plan on leading your division to address these changes?

There are many challenges that face infectious diseases specialists today – a loss of trust in public health by the public, misinformation about infectious diseases on social media, and an unstable funding environment for biomedical research and programs which support the care of vulnerable individuals. This is in the face of increasing antimicrobial resistance and the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles. It is easy to become discouraged. My plan for the Division is to continue to “lead by example” by providing excellent care to the patients that we serve, particularly patients who from groups that are marginalized in society. I will support the research and educational missions that are core to the Division. Infectious Diseases specialists have always been advocates, but in the current environment, it is needed more than ever. I want to encourage the faculty to educate their patients, the public, and policymakers on evidence-based treatment and prevention strategies for infectious diseases. If we are silent, there are many individuals who will fill the void with misinformation.

What would you like to see NIDS do to help support infectious diseases work in the state of Nebraska?

I would like to see NIDS take an active role in education and outreach to the public and policymakers in Nebraska. Having a dialogue with these groups, addressing their concerns and informing them about the risks of infectious diseases and what is needed to treat and prevent them, is critical to rebuilding the trust that has been lost in the time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I love hiking. I am a day hiker but would love to try longer hikes. Some of my favorite hikes have been the “Oh-Be-Joyful” trail in the Gunnison National Forest in Colorado, and Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park. Since I arrived in Nebraska in January, I have hiked several trails around Omaha with my wife and our black and tan coonhound, Reggie. I am looking forward to exploring the Sandhills.