Bloom said he took the job not for power orprestige but because he wants to make an impact onthe world.

"I don't have a burning need to be a dean orhave a title or whatever," he said. "I do have aburning need to make a contribution to publichealth."

Bloom is a scholar with far ranging interests,Fineberg said. Had he been a professor at Harvard,Fineberg said Bloom might have taught outside theSchool of Public Health--in the Medical School,for example.

Bloom likened public health to an immunesystem. Both deal with a variety of healthproblems and fight sickness in many ways, he said.

"It is a generator of incredible diversity frombasic science on malaria to health care financingto control and prevention of violence in the cityof Boston and else-where," he said.

Because of his versatility, Bloom is well-suitedto Rudenstine's initiatives to bridge academicdisciplines, Fineberg said.

Bloom envisions working closely with HarvardLaw School, Harvard Medical School and otherUniversity divisions.

"I much prefer a collaborative world view thana fiercely independent one," Bloom said. "I hopethe School of Public Health can contribute to thegeneral climate of Harvard in many ways."

--Alan E. Wirzbicki contributed to thereporting of this article.