In 1966, Donald A. Henderson, M.D., spent 10 years directing the World Health Organization’s global smallpox eradication campaign. Today, he serves as senior science advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
On Thursday, Feb. 27, Dr. Henderson will be at UNMC to present the 21st John S. Latta Lectureship, sponsored by the UNMC College of Medicine Alumni Association. His noon presentation, titled “Implementing Smallpox Vaccination Strategy: Lessons from History,” will be in the College of Nursing’s Cooper Auditorium. Anyone interested in receiving the lecture via satellite, should contact Lenal Bottoms at 559-4354.
Leader in public health, bioterrorism preparedness
“Dr. Henderson is internationally known for his work in public health and eradication of smallpox around the world,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “Since 9/11 he has been the nation’s leader under HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson in preparing the United States to combat any potential bioterrorist event involving weapons of mass destruction. We are truly honored to have him visit campus and share his knowledge and insight in the fight against bioterrorism.”
UNMC has been fortunate to bring such distinguished speakers to the campus for the annual Latta Lecture series, said Gordon Todd, Ph.D., chairman of the Latta Lecture committee. “Dr. Henderson is yet another outstanding speaker we’ve been fortunate to attract and we look forward to his visit.”
Dr. Henderson recently invited Dr. Maurer and Steve Hinrichs, M.D., director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, to present UNMC’s model of bioterrorism preparedness to the Public Health Preparedness Council. Dr. Henderson serves as chair of the HHS’s Secretary’s Council on Public Health Preparedness. The council coordinates national responses to public health emergencies. “Ours was the only one discussed, and Steve and I heard such phrases as ‘brilliant’ and ‘inspirational,’ ” Dr. Maurer said.
Dr. Henderson’s career
Dr. Henderson is presently on leave from serving as Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Service Professor. From November 2001 to May 2002, he was director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness, Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services. From 1998-2001, he served as founding director of Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies.
A native of Lakewood, Ohio, Dr. Henderson rejoined the Hopkins faculty in June 1995 after five years of federal government service in which he served initially as associate director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President (1990-1993) and later as deputy assistant secretary and senior science advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services.
From 1977 through August 1990, Dr. Henderson was dean of the Faculty of the School of Public Health. He went to Hopkins after serving as chief medical officer for WHO’s global smallpox eradication campaign. Dr. Henderson was instrumental in 1974 in initiating WHO’s global program of immunization, which is now vaccinating 80 percent of the world’s children against six major diseases and has a goal of eradicating of poliomyelitis.
Latta Lecture background
The Latta Lecture is named after the late John S. Latta, M.D. Dr. Latta taught courses in embryology and histology at UNMC from 1921 until 1963. The chairman of the department of anatomy from 1940 to 1960, Dr. Latta earned the Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Nebraska Foundation in 1957. In 1980, the UNMC College of Medicine Alumni Association established the John S. Latta Lectureship to commemorate his service to the college. Dr. Latta died in 1989 at age 94.