Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Professor Sir Peter Horby

Professor Sir Peter Horby

Contact information


Muriel Lunn

Podcast interview

Emerging infectious diseases

Research on emerging infectious diseases can only be conducted during outbreaks. Although virology has improved, a well calibrated and effective public health response is often lacking. Epidemiological and clinical research as well as mathematical modelling will give us answers during the epidemics and help us provide better diagnostics and better treatments.

View podcast transcript

The RECOVERY trial

Professor explains the RECOVERY trial

Social media

Peter Horby

FMedSci

Moh Family Foundation Professor of Emerging Infections and Global Health

  • Director, Pandemic Sciences Institute
  • Executive Director, ISARIC

Pandemic Sciences Institute

Sir Peter Horby is Moh Family Foundation Professor of Emerging Infections and Global Health at the University of Oxford and the Director of the Pandemic Sciences Institute. The Pandemic Sciences Institute is a multidisciplinary initiative to create collaborative science-driven solutions to identify, prepare for, and counter pandemic threats. He is also Executive Director of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC), a consortium of international, national and local research networks whose research activities span 134 countries worldwide.

He is Co-Chief Investigator of the RECOVERY trial of treatments for viral pneumonia. 

He has advised the World Health Organisation, the UK Government and other agencies on epidemic preparedness, clinical research and clinical trial design for epidemic infectious diseases. 

He is the former, and founding, Director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Hanoi, Vietnam. The unit was established in early 2006 and conducts research on infectious diseases which crosses the disciplines of basic science, medical science and public health.

RECOVERY trial results

A forest plot of the key results from the RECOVERY trial as of October 2021.
A forest plot of the key results from the RECOVERY trial as of October 2021.

Effect of dexamethasone on 28-day mortality in severe COVID-19.

Mortality at 28 Days in All Patients and According to Respiratory Support at Randomization N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 25;384(8):693-704.
Mortality at 28 Days in All Patients and According to Respiratory Support at Randomization N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 25;384(8):693-704.

Publications