Anthony Fauci
Born 1940 · Age 85
American physician-scientist and immunologist; longtime director of NIAID (1984–2022) and chief medical advisor to the President (2021–2022); leading figure in HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 responses.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Brooklyn, New York
Anthony Stephen Fauci born to Stephen A. and Eugenia Lillian Fauci in Brooklyn, NY; family owned a neighborhood pharmacy.
Enrolled at College of the Holy Cross
Began undergraduate studies at the College of the Holy Cross; studied classical Greek and majored in classics with a pre-med track.
Graduated Regis High School
Graduated from Regis High School (Jesuit, Manhattan); captained the basketball team and decided to become a physician during high school.
Entered Cornell University Medical College
Matriculated at Cornell University's Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medicine) for medical training.
Graduated Holy Cross (B.A.)
Graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in May 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts in classics with pre-medical preparation.
Started internship & residency at New York Hospital–Cornell
Began a four-year internship and residency in internal medicine at New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center (May 1966–Jan 1968 noted).
Awarded MD from Cornell
Graduated top of his class from Cornell University Medical College with a Doctor of Medicine degree (May 1966).
Joined NIH as Clinical Associate (NIAID LCI)
Joined the National Institutes of Health in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation (LCI) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as a clinical associate.
Commissioned in U.S. Public Health Service
Became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (service years later listed as 1969–1996).
Named Senior Investigator at NIAID
Promoted to senior investigator at NIAID (timeline from NIAID biography).
Headed LCI Clinical Physiology Section
Appointed head of the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation's Clinical Physiology Section at NIAID (January 1974).
Published paper on glucocorticosteroid therapy
Co-authored 'Glucocorticosteroid Therapy: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Considerations' (Annals of Internal Medicine, March 1976).
Became Deputy Clinical Director of NIAID; moved to D.C.
Appointed Deputy Clinical Director at NIAID (Jan 1977); around this time moved into long-term Washington, D.C. residence (home since 1977).
Received Arthur S. Flemming Award
Awarded the Arthur S. Flemming Award in recognition of public service and early career achievement.
Named Chief, Laboratory of Immunoregulation (NIAID)
Appointed chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at NIAID; led research into immune regulation and vasculitis therapies.
Shifted primary research focus to HIV/AIDS
Began concentrating efforts on the newly emergent AIDS epidemic and patients with severe opportunistic infections.
Met future wife Christine Grady at NIH
Met Christine Grady (then a clinical nurse specialist at NIH) while she assisted with translation for a Portuguese-speaking patient.
Became Director of NIAID
Appointed director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); continued to run a lab and see patients while directing the institute.
Coordinator of AIDS research at NIH & Married Christine Grady
Became coordinator of all AIDS research at NIH; married Christine Grady in 1985; later had three daughters.
Named on Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (editorial role)
Listed as a principal editor of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine starting with the 11th edition (1986) and continued through the 21st ed. (2022).
Engaged with Presidential Commission on AIDS
Participated in national discussions and briefings on AIDS as the federal government's most visible AIDS researcher; Reagan administration commission activity noted in 1987.
Faced activism and protests at NIAID
Protestors (LGBTQ+ activists) came to NIAID in October 1988; Fauci was a frequent target of activist anger early in the epidemic but later developed productive relationships.
NIAID budget (circa when Fauci took greater prominence)
Around the mid-late 1980s NIAID budget was approximately $320 million (commonly cited as the size of NIAID budget when he assumed major leadership expansion efforts).
Maxwell Finland Award; public AZT coverage
Received the Maxwell Finland Award; in Aug 1989 participated in public briefings reporting positive findings on AZT and AIDS therapy advances.
Honorary Doctor of Science, Bates College
Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Bates College.
Ernst Jung Prize & Honorary Doctorate (Duke)
Awarded the Ernst Jung Prize (shared) and received an honorary Doctor of Science from Duke University.
Left U.S. Public Health Service (retired rank)
Ended active service in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (service years recorded 1969–1996), having reached the rank of Rear Admiral.
Honorary Doctor of Public Service, Shippensburg University
Received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
Led NIAID biodefense response post‑9/11
After 9/11 and the anthrax attacks, Fauci mobilized NIAID to develop countermeasures (diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines) for biothreat agents and pandemics.
Key architect of PEPFAR
Played a leading role in creating the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), launched 2003 to combat HIV/AIDS globally.
ISI ranked Fauci 13th most‑cited scientist (1983–2002)
Institute for Scientific Information noted Fauci as the 13th most‑cited scientist among 2.5–3.0 million authors worldwide over the period 1983–2002.
Received National Medal of Science
Awarded the U.S. National Medal of Science for scientific accomplishments in biological sciences.
AAI Lifetime Achievement & other professional leadership roles
Received American Association of Immunologists Lifetime Achievement Award (2005) among other service honors and continued principal editor roles and visiting professorships.
Received Lasker Award for Public Service
Awarded the Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award for contributions to AIDS policy and biodefense preparations.
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
President George W. Bush presented Fauci with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for work including the PEPFAR program.
Received Robert Koch Gold Medal & Prince Mahidol Award
Honored internationally with the Robert Koch Gold Medal (Germany) and the Prince Mahidol Award (Thailand) for biomedical contributions.
Testified at congressional hearing on Ebola
On Oct 16, 2014 Fauci testified to Congress about the Ebola crisis and that NIAID was still early in producing sufficient quantities of countermeasures for widescale trials.
John Dirks Gairdner Global Health Award
Received the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for broad contributions to global health.
NIAID budget milestone (~$5.5B in 2019)
Under Fauci's leadership NIAID grew from ~ $320M (circa 1984) to approximately $5.5 billion by FY2019 — more than a thousandfold increase over his tenure.
Received death threats & security detail during COVID‑19 response
During 2020 response to COVID‑19, received threats that required security protection; family members were also reportedly harassed.
Received multiple 2020 honors
Honored with multiple awards in 2020 including TIME's 'Guardian of the Year', Ripple of Hope Award, Knight Grand Cross of Order of Merit of Italy, and John Maddox Prize.
Joined White House Coronavirus Task Force
Served as a lead member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force under President Trump (task force established late Jan 2020).
Predicted COVID‑19 infection fatality rate (~1%)
In March 2020 stated that the infection fatality rate for COVID‑19 would likely be close to 1%, about ten times the seasonal flu rate.
Public COVID‑19 guidance & initial mask statements
Gave multiple public interviews in Jan–Mar 2020 about COVID-19 risk; on Mar 8 advised general public not to wear surgical masks then (later updated as evidence evolved).
Advocated public masking; CDC guidance changed
In April 2020 advocated public facial coverings; on Apr 3 CDC updated guidance to recommend cloth face coverings for the public.
Commented on UK vaccine approval
Reacted to the UK's Dec 2, 2020 emergency license of the Pfizer‑BioNTech vaccine, later apologized for remarks that were perceived as questioning UK regulators.
Asked to serve as Chief Medical Advisor to President‑elect Biden
On Dec 3, 2020 President‑elect Joe Biden asked Fauci to remain NIAID director and to serve as chief medical advisor to the president; Fauci accepted.
Awarded Dan David Prize ($1M) and Public Welfare Medal
Received Israel's $1 million Dan David Prize (2021) and the National Academy of Sciences' Public Welfare Medal among other honors.
Became Chief Medical Advisor to the President
Sworn in as Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden and served on the White House COVID‑19 Response Team (Jan 20, 2021–Dec 31, 2022).
Over 3,000 internal emails released via FOIA
In early June 2021, more than 3,000 internal government emails (Jan–June 2020) sent by Fauci were released to media via FOIA requests.
Warned Delta variant greatest threat to elimination
On June 22, 2021 Fauci said the SARS‑CoV‑2 Delta variant was the 'greatest threat' to eliminating COVID‑19 in the U.S.
Authored over 1,300 scientific publications
By the time of retirement and editorship through 2022, Fauci was listed as an author on more than 1,300 scientific publications and textbooks.
College of the Holy Cross renamed science complex
College of the Holy Cross renamed its science complex the Anthony S. Fauci Integrated Science Complex (June 11, 2022 announcement).
Editor, Harrison's through 21st edition (1986–2022)
Served as one of the principal editors of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine from the 11th edition (1986) through the 21st edition (2022); editor‑in‑chief of select editions.
Said U.S. 'out of full‑blown explosive pandemic phase'
On April 27, 2022 Fauci announced that the U.S. was 'out of the full‑blown explosive pandemic phase' of COVID‑19.
Said he would resign if Trump won 2024
Publicly stated on May 15, 2022 that he would resign if Donald Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Announced intention to step down in December
On Aug 22, 2022 Fauci announced he would step down from his positions in December 2022 to pursue the next chapter of his career.
Retired as NIAID Director and White House Chief Medical Advisor
At retirement, Fauci's annual salary was reported as $480,654 (highest paid U.S. federal government employee at the time).
Received multiple 2023 honors (Royal Society, Japan Order)
Honors in 2023 include Foreign Member of the Royal Society, Order of the Rising Sun 2nd Class (Gold and Silver Star), Sheba Global Health Award, and honorary degrees.
Joined Georgetown University faculty
Announced on June 26, 2023 that Fauci would join Georgetown University as a distinguished university professor effective July 1, 2023.
Published memoir 'On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service'
Released memoir recounting decades of public health service, from Brooklyn boyhood to advising presidents and leading multiple disease responses.
Received preemptive presidential pardon from Biden
On Jan 20, 2025 President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Fauci for potential federal offenses between Jan 1, 2014 and the day of the pardon.
HHS terminated $168,000 contract for Fauci exhibit
On Feb 7, 2025 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services terminated a $168,000 contract for a Fauci museum exhibit at the NIH.
Key Achievement Ages
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