Dr. Colborn is an epidemiologist and public health professional specializing in the intersection of climate change and infectious diseases. He holds an MSPH in tropical medicine and a PhD in parasitology from Tulane University, with additional field epidemiology training as an EIS officer at the Idaho State Health Department.
Dr. Colborn has over 14 years of experience working in Mozambique, beginning with the President’s Malaria Initiative-including 2 years based in Maputo-followed by the Clinton Health Access Initiative, with whom he’s been working for the past 10 years. During time he has provided technical assistance to the National Malaria Control Program, helping to accelerate progress toward malaria elimination. He has collaborated with major global health funders, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GF), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to refine interventions and implement cost-effective, evidence-based solutions.
A significant portion of Dr. Colborn’s work in Mozambique focuses on the impact of climate change on infectious diseases, particularly malaria. He has collaborated closely during his time in Mozambique with Drs. Eduardo Samo Gudo and Tatiana Marrufo at the National Institutes of Health (INS) to develop their climate and health strategy, finalize their Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP), and to publish work highlighting the country’s climate and health accomplishments. He recently worked with Dr. Baltazar Candrinho (current head of the Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC) and Dr. Marrufo to procure funding from GF to advance the development and implementation of malaria early warning systems and malaria elimination in the south of the country through the MOSASWA initiative. Dr. Colborn has also led multiple workshops on integrating climate considerations and data into routine decision-making for climate-sensitive dieases, and has authored multiple publications on the subject, given numerous presentations and symposia, and produced global guidance on the integration of climate data into routine malaria decision-making.