Zoonoses and pandemics – preparing for the big one

Large scale impacts from rapidly spreading diseases have always been a feature of life on earth. Unbeknownst to most of us, predictions of bat-borne viruses emerging in wet-markets in Asia and spreading around the world have been a feature of epidemiology meetings for many years.

As a zoonotic – animal-to-human – disease specialist, UQ’s Professor Nigel Perkins is using the World Health Organisation’s 'One Health' platform to help avoid the next pandemic.

It’s a platform that largely focuses on global threats to human health posed by pandemics of infectious, zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19 and highly pathogenic avian influenza or HPAI. Its work is directed towards surveillance and prediction to identify hot spots, early detection, preparedness, and response capacity.

Join us as Professor Perkins joins BrisScience to discuss zoonoses with a focus on diseases with pandemic potential. He’ll also be sharing amazing stories of research leading to improved prediction, detection and management of disease threats.

This is a free streamed event using Zoom webinar, however registration is essential and numbers are limited. You do not need to create a Zoom account to attend this webinar. Only one registration per device is needed. For example, if two people are watching from the one computer, you should only register one booking.

Watch the recording

Recording of "Zoonoses and pandemics – preparing for the big one" talk (YouTube, 51min)

Meet the presenter

Professor Nigel Perkins is the Head of the School of Veterinary Science at The University of Queensland. Nigel has a QLD bush background, a UQ veterinary degree and is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of veterinary epidemiology and one health.

He has broad experience in investigations of health, welfare and disease in animals in many different countries, including novel and exotic disease outbreaks and control programs. Nigel has worked in one health teams on zoonotic disease risk management in Australia and across much of the Asia Pacific region.

Nigel is a multi-award winning teacher, an author or co-author on numerous research articles and book chapters, and like all of us at the moment, is continuing to learn skills in web-delivery of on-line learning.