Derek Cummings is an epidemiologist at the forefront of research that informs how public health can respond to global threats. He investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of the spread of infectious diseases in order to develop interventions to control their spread.  

Cummings studies the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases through a combination of theoretical modeling, field studies, clinical trials, and laboratory investigations. His research is primarily concentrated on respiratory and vector-borne infections, including dengue, influenza, measles, chikungunya, and SARS-CoV-2, and seeks solutions that are responsive to the complexities of transmission dynamics of pathogens in many settings. He explores how the immune response can be leveraged to detect infections and inform how public health strategies can best take advantage of our immune system’s incredible adaptability. He played a key role in the response to COVID-19, evaluating factors associated with severe COVID-19 illness, immune responses, and the role of genetic factors in coronavirus susceptibility. Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, Cummings has long been engaged in efforts to detect and respond to outbreaks, including characterizing patterns of spread early in emergence, and developing surveillance tools to detect infectious diseases before they proliferate and become serious threats to public health. 

Derek Cummings joined Johns Hopkins University as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in 2025  from the University of Florida. He is part of the Preparing and Responding to Emerging Pandemics cluster.