2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award: John Sanders

The 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, Dr. John Sanders, is a true American hero. For nearly three decades, he has been finding cures and treatments for some of the world’s most intractable diseases.

Sanders received his bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1987 from NC State, where he was a Caldwell Fellow and a member of the Navy ROTC. He then earned his medical degree at Tulane University and completed his residency in the U.S. Navy. At one point during the early part of his career, he was stationed at the substantial military facilities at Cherry Point in eastern North Carolina.

An infectious diseases fellowship led him to medical leadership and research roles in Egypt, Peru and the National Naval Medical Center. He eventually became the commanding officer of the Naval Medical Research Center, where he led a global organization of eight commands conducting more than $300 million in research annually on tropical diseases, biodefense, regenerative medicine and other areas.

Sanders has made teaching an important part of his career and has served as a mentor to many students and residents. He’s also an accomplished researcher, having published more than 60 articles and eight book chapters. As such, he is recognized around the world as an authority in enteric diseases and infections of military relevance.

Sanders recently retired from the Navy and joined the faculty at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine as head of infectious diseases.