Déirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford has recently received a prestigious Simons Foundation Fellowship from the Isaac Newton Institute (INI). The fellowship supports initiatives to bring together leading mathematicians from around the world to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
This recognition not only highlights Deirdre’s contributions to the study of infectious diseases but also supports her work in harnessing mathematical and statistical modelling to improve global health outcomes. In collaboration also with the Juniper Partnership, Deirdre has organised a one-day event, "Preventing Future Pandemics: Key Challenges for Mathematical Modelling to Improve Pandemic Preparedness." The event is taking place on Tuesday, 13th August 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in huge health, economic and societal costs both in the UK and globally. As we now move forward, governments across the world are reflecting on how to be better prepared for future pandemic threats, to minimise the devastating impacts caused.
This event will address key policy questions for pandemic preparedness in the UK and globally, focusing on how mathematical and statistical modelling can tackle these challenges. The day will cover three main themes: vaccine development and deployment, diagnostics, prioritising and funding preparedness activities, with insights from international speakers.
The event is part of the Newton Gateway's "Open for Business" series, which fosters collaboration between industry, government, and academia to drive innovation in mathematical sciences; these events provide a platform for diverse stakeholders to network and explore potential collaborations.
Déirdre is visiting the INI as the organiser of a month-long programme on Modelling and Inference for Pandemic Preparedness.