Recently, WHO’s Chief Scientist and previously, Deputy Director-General for Programmes, Swaminathan is a globally recognised researcher on tuberculosis and HIV with 30 years experience working to translate research into effective programmes. She served as Secretary to the Indian Government’s Health Research Department and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research 2015–2017, focussing on bringing science and evidence into health policy-making, building research capacity in Indian medical schools, and forging south-south partnerships in the health sciences. From 2009–2011, she served as Coordinator of the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Geneva.