The School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong will host a Seminar featuring Professor Maria Zambon, Head of Respiratory Virology at the UK Health Security Agency, Director of the UK WHO National Influenza Centre, and Chair of the International Society for Respiratory Viruses (ISRV), London, UK on the topic “Pandemic Response: What Have We Learnt From Experience?”. Details are as follows:

Biography
Professor Maria Zambon is a Consultant Virologist and Head of the WHO National Influenza Centre (NIC) at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) overseeing influenza, MERS, and respiratory viruses. She has been the chair of the International Society for Respiratory Viruses (ISRV), an independent professional scientific society and registered charity, since 2020.

Her main research interests include the diagnosis of viral infections in humans, especially RNA viruses, the pathogenicity of influenza, and the development of new vaccines, antivirals, and diagnostics for respiratory viruses, particularly influenza. 

About the Seminar
Pandemics of respiratory illness with devastating societal impact have occurred since antiquity. Over the last 100 years, the response to pandemics has gradually evolved from fragmented crisis management, to use of specific countermeasures including vaccines and antiviral drugs.

Introduction of antivirals for seasonal influenza management in 1999/2000 provided a foundation for mass antiviral treatment for the first time in response to a pandemic in 2009. Lessons from the 2009 influenza pandemic informed the response to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Direct acting antivirals, antibody therapies and immune modulators may all have a role in reducing severity during a pandemic; an agile research infrastructure is a crucial response capability. Rapid clinical studies evaluating therapeutic options will likely be necessary whatever the cause of a future pandemic. Considering different pandemic scenarios and likely treatment uncertainties will help maintain health system preparedness.

Registration
Please register here by October 14, 2026 (Wednesday) at 11am.

A confirmation email will be sent to successful registrants.

Enquiry
For enquiries, please email sphevent@hku.hk.