The New President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

Barbara E. Murray, professor and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, is the new president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The society, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, was founded in 1963. It currently has more than 9,000 members. The society’s stated purpose is “to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases.”

Dr. Murray’s research focuses on the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of pathogenicity and resistance to antibiotics. She is a 1969 graduate of Rice University in Houston, Texas, where she majored in mathematics. Dr. Murray received her medical degree in 1973 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.