Wael Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD

Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy serves as the Principal Investigator and Director of the Program at the prestigious University of California San Diego (UCSD). Holding the position of Chief of the Division of Global Health and Professor of Epidemiology and Global Health, Dr. Al-Delaimy brings a wealth of expertise and experience to his role.
Dr. Al-Delaimy’s academic journey spans across renowned institutions globally. He obtained his medical degree from Mustansyria University, followed by a Higher Graduate Diploma in Community Medicine from the University of Baghdad. His pursuit of knowledge led him to earn a PhD in Epidemiology from the esteemed University of Otago.
Prior to his tenure at UCSD, Dr. Al-Delaimy contributed significantly to research and academia. He served as a research fellow at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and held the position of Scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.
A distinguished educator, Dr. Al-Delaimy has developed and delivered PhD-level courses in Public Health for students enrolled in the joint doctoral program at UCSD and San Diego State University. His teaching prowess is evident through consistently excellent student evaluations.
Dr. Al-Delaimy’s leadership extends beyond the academic realm. He chaired the Ethics and Philosophy Committee of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology from 2008 to 2015, overseeing a group of esteemed environmental epidemiologists. Notably, he co-authored the Guidelines for Research Ethics for Environmental Epidemiologists and has been invited to contribute editorials on ethics to prestigious journals such as Environmental Health Perspectives.
His expertise in public health ethics has been recognized by institutions such as the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), where he has been invited as a keynote speaker on topics concerning the ethics of sharing population data.
As the Principal Investigator and project director for California-wide tobacco surveys since 2005, Dr. Al-Delaimy has spearheaded multi-million dollar initiatives. His leadership involves managing faculty and staff, overseeing subcontracted data collection services, and collaborating with state officials to ensure the relevance of research findings to health policy.
A global citizen, Dr. Al-Delaimy’s work transcends borders. With roots in Iraq and professional engagements in Jordan, he maintains collaborations throughout the Arab world. He also serves as the President of the Society for Advancement of Science and Technology in the Arab World, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering research and higher education across the Middle East and North Africa region.
Dr. Al-Delaimy’s dedication to advancing public health, coupled with his extensive expertise and leadership, distinguishes him as a prominent figure in the field of epidemiology and global health.