A prestigious honor for two renowned University of Minnesota faculty members.
Doctor's Michael Olsterholm and Emil Lou were named to TIME's 2026 top 100 list of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health.
Osterholm is a Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota.
Lou is a Tenured Professor, physician-scientist and board-certified gastrointestinal oncologist with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Masonic Cancer Center and M Health Fairview.
Speaking with WCCO's Chad Hartman Wednesday afternoon, Osterholm says this award deserves to be shared.
"What I do is a team sport," Osterholm said. "I'm basically a function of a number of really important and committed people to public health in terms of what I'm able to talk about or what I'm able to do. So, you know, I think this award really recognition needs to be shared across the board."
Osterholm is a globally recognized leader in infectious disease preparedness, but still expressed humility at the recognition.
"Well, first of all, I'd always held the group that made these choices in high regard," Osterholm explains. "And I kind of wondered what was wrong with them that they actually picked me to be on this. But I think really quite honestly, my first one was one obviously of appreciation."
Osterholm became a household name during COVID, and a frequent guest on WCCO Radio as confusion and fear surrounded the community. Now, establishing himself as an outspoken critic of recent changes in the U.S. government’s vaccination policies, Osterholm and his team launched the Vaccine Integrity Project last spring. Their goal was to address misinformation about vaccines, something that has only grown as the Trump Administration has dismantled long-standing vaccination policies, including no longer recommending immunizations for most children against flu, RSV, rotavirus and COVID.
The 2026 TIME100 Health spotlights the 100 most influential leaders in health across several categories. Osterholm was chosen for "leadership" while Lou was chosen as pioneers, along with a patient, Emma Dimery.
"As the global order has shifted, these titans, innovators, leaders, pioneers and catalysts have pushed ahead new ideas — from gene therapies to regulatory agencies — to build healthier populations around the world," TIME explains about the list.
“Dr. Michael Osterholm and Dr. Emil Lou have championed groundbreaking work in public health and medicine,” said University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham. “We celebrate and honor them and their work. Dr. Osterholm’s leadership in protecting global health and addressing emerging infectious disease threats, and Dr. Lou’s innovative research and treatment approaches in cancer care, reflect the very best of our University’s mission. We are proud of their commitment to educating the next generation of health professionals and driving discoveries that improve lives. They provide evidence‑based information and innovative solutions clinicians and communities rely on to protect and advance health throughout Minnesota, the nation and the world.”