Biden names three California doctors to coronavirus task force. Here’s who they are

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped three California doctors to serve on his coronavirus advisory task force as he prepares to take office in January.

Biden named the 13-member panel Monday, saying he plans to make controlling the pandemic in the United States a top priority following his inauguration Jan. 20.

Three of the 13 task force members are from California, and all three have connections to the University of California, San Francisco, The Mercury News reports.

Dr. David Kessler, who will serve as one of three co-chairs on the panel, is a UCSF professor of pediatrics and epidemiology and biostatistics, NPR reported.

He’s also a former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from 1990 to 1997, serving under former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, according to the network.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, former surgeon general, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, associate professor of internal medicine, public health and management at Yale University, will also co-chair the panel, NPR reported.

Also serving on the task force are Dr. Eric Goolsby and Dr. Robert Rodriguez, UCSF said in a statement.

Goolsby, a UCSF Infectious disease expert and professor of medicine, served as interim Director of the White House’s Office of National AIDS Policy in the Clinton Administration, according to the university.

Rodriguez, a UCSF professor of emergency medicine who works at hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, has led several national research teams, the university said.

“They represent the extraordinary and relentless dedication the UCSF community has shown in meeting the challenge of the coronavirus across our patient care, research, and education efforts,” UCSF chancellor Sam Hawgood said. “UCSF looks forward to working with President-elect Biden’s administration.”

Other members of the task force include Dr. Rick Bright, Dr. Luciana Borio, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Dr. Atul Gawande, Dr. Celine Gounder, Dr. Julie Morita, Dr. Michael Osterholm and Loyce Pace, NPR reported.

This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Biden names three California doctors to coronavirus task force. Here’s who they are."