Dr Soumya Swaminathan served as Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization from 2017 to 2023, after two years as Deputy Director of WHO, having previously been Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research. Prior to that she had been coordinator of the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases in Geneva and Director of National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT). While at WHO she was instrumental in setting up the COVAX initiative to provide COVID vaccines to low and middle countries. Dr. Swaminathan received her academic training in India, the UK, and the USA, leading to a career in clinical care and research, with primary interests in tuberculosis and HIV. She is a Fellow of the US National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK), and all major science academies in India.