Dr Gerson Penna

Dr Gerson Penna is Senior Researcher at Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and University of Brasília (UnB).

He graduated from Federal University of Pará and holds a Specialization in Dermatology by the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, PhD in Tropical Medicine at the University of Brasília, and Post-doctorate in Public Health at the Institute of Public Health at the Federal University of Bahia.

Formerly he served as President of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology and President of the Brazilian Congress of Dermatology. In addition, he is a founder and former Director of the National Center of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health where he coordinated the crisis office regarding the Cholera Epidemic in 1996 at the national level and other outbreaks such as dengue, measles and rubella epidemics; and the H1N1 pandemic.

He also served as Special Advisor to the Minister of Health and Leprosy Consultant of the Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization and United Nations Development Program. He was a former member of the Leprosy Review Editorial Board and former Deputy Editor of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

He was former Chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance, former Director of Fiocruz Brasilia and full Collaborator Doctor and Researcher at the Tropical Medicine Group at the University of Brasilia.

His academic production sums more than 250 scientific papers: complete articles in journals, books, book chapters, organized books, among others, more than 400 participations in scientific events such as congresses, seminars, and evaluations for master´s degrees, doctorate degrees and public selections.

Gerson Penna is among the scientists who have contributed the most to studies on neglected diseases around the world over the past 10 years. Among dermatologists, he is the first dermatologist on the list: https://www.expertscape.com/ex/leprosy . 

Areas of knowledge: Public Health; Epidemiology; Infectious Diseases; Social Determinants in Health; Public Policies.