Nickolas DeLuca, PhD, MA, BA Faculty Page
Lecturer
(404) 971-3602
nmd0035@auburn.edu
Department of Pathobiology
Auburn University
College of Veterinary Medicine
1130 Wire Road
Auburn, AL 36849
Education
PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health (Health Promotion)
MA, San Diego State University (Medical Geography)
BA, State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo
Biography
Dr. DeLuca joined Auburn University in 2025 as a Lecturer in the Public and One Health Program. Prior to joining Auburn University, Dr. DeLuca worked at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for more than 25 years. Throughout his professional career he has been involved in multidisciplinary public health research and has extensive experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of domestic and global public health programs.
Dr. DeLuca worked at CDC’s Center for Global Health as a prevention advisor for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and was assigned to CDC Namibia. In this role, he led a team managing HIV prevention, communication, education, as well as research and intervention strategies focusing on behavioral and epidemiological aspects of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment. Later, he served as the Associate Director for Communications for CDC’s Center for Global Health, overseeing the development of global health security communication efforts, and communication related to global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, vaccine preventable-diseases, malaria, and other diseases.
Dr. DeLuca also served in the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention and was responsible for guiding the development, implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of several national HIV testing and prevention communications campaigns to empower communities, partners, and health care providers to promote HIV testing, prevention and treatment.
Dr. DeLuca also participated in several of CDC’s emergency responses to disease outbreaks, including a deployment to Sierra Leone to support the 2014 Ebola response, as well as leadership roles in CDC’s Zika, COVID-19 and mpox responses.
In his last position at CDC, Dr. DeLuca oversaw the Communications, Education, and Behavioral Studies Branch in the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination. He contributed to the development and dissemination of numerous education resources for public health practitioners, clinicians, as well as people with and risk for TB.
Dr. DeLuca received numerous awards at CDC, including Excellence in Communications and the Carl W. Tyler Award for Excellence in Public Health Practice, an award given by the CDC and Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) recognizing excellence in public health practice.
Dr. DeLuca has authored or coauthored more than 30 scientific publications.