Edwin Asturias

Professor of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology

University of Colorado School of Medicine, United States

Director for Latin America Center for Global Health

Colorado School of Public Health

Jules Amer Chair in Community Pediatrics

Dr. Asturias is a Guatemalan born physician, graduated from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, boarded in pediatrics at University of Colorado School of Medicine and Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He has worked on epidemiological studies of vaccine preventable diseases in children in Latin America, vaccine clinical trials for Escherichia coli, polio, and combination vaccines, and issues of vaccine introduction equity and safety in the region and around the globe.  In addition, he has led the global health efforts for Latin America for the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus including establishing models of academic and private-public partnership collaborations for public health, maternal-child health, and malnutrition-poverty interventions.

In 2020, Dr. Asturias played a pivotal role as the head of the Guatemalan Presidential Emergency Commission during the COVID-19 pandemic. He collaborated with diverse leaders across Guatemalan society to create a comprehensive, evidence-based response. His leadership significantly enhanced Guatemala’s diagnostic capacity strengthened the primary healthcare system and helped mitigate the initial wave of infections in mid-2020.

Dr. Asturias was the founder and active member of several influential committees, including the Guatemalan National Committee for Immunization Practices, the Poliovirus Contention Commission, and the Colorado Immunization Technical Advisory Group. He has also served on various advisory groups for the World Health Organization, such as the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and the Malaria Vaccine Expert Advisory Group. Currently, he is a voting member of the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In his role as the Jules Amer Chair in Community Pediatrics, Dr. Asturias collaborates with faculty and community leaders in Colorado to promote immunization equity and develop population health initiatives aimed at improving children’s health and reducing disparities.