Dr Diane Post currently serves as the Chief of the Viral Respiratory Diseases Section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH). In this role, Dr Post oversees the strategic implementation and administration of research contracts and grants dedicated to viral respiratory diseases. Her section manages a comprehensive program that includes research in pathogenesis, immunology, animal model development, and both preclinical and clinical studies aimed at advancing vaccines, adjuvants, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Dr Post’s responsibilities involve the coordination and oversight of scientific research focusing on influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2.
Prior to her current role, she served as the Program Officer for the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS) network. In this capacity, she contributed to understanding the natural history, transmission, and pathogenesis of influenza, while also supporting an international research infrastructure to address viral outbreaks. Dr Post earned her Ph.D. in veterinary viral diseases from the University of Florida. She subsequently completed her postdoctoral training at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she specialized in the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.