Senior Scientific Officer
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Dr. Sharmin Sultana is an Assistant Professor of Virology and currently serves as a Senior Scientific Officer(SSO) at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) in Bangladesh. With academic background and over a decade of experience in infectious disease surveillance and research, Dr. Sultana plays a pivotal role in advancing public health initiatives in the country. She is an executive commette member of "One Halth Bangladesh" which is a civil society forum for promoting One Health.
Dr. Sultana graduated in medicine from Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and further specialized in public health and virology, earning an MPH from the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) and an MPhil in Virology from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) From Bangladesh. She has publication on infectious disease surveillance mostly on Nipah Virus (NiV), Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Dengue surveillance.
At IEDCR, Dr. Sultana leads the One Health Laboratory, a multidisciplinary platform focused on the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. Since 2012, she has coordinated the Hospital-Based Encephalitis Surveillance Program, which monitors diseases such as Nipah virus and JE across Bangladesh. Her work is instrumental in early detection and response strategies for emerging viral threats. During Covid 19 pandemic she worked as resource person for Infection Control and Prevention (IPC) for health care personnel training throughout the country.
In addition to her leadership in surveillance, Dr. Sultana is deeply engaged in both laboratory and field-based epidemiological research. Her current research interests lie in genome sequencing and serological studies, areas critical to understanding viral evolution and immunity patterns.
Driven by a commitment to scientific excellence and public health impact, Dr. Sultana continues to contribute to national and international efforts in infectious disease control, with a focus on translational research that informs policy and practice.