Programme

Thursday 21 September 2023 | 11:00 - 16:00

We were delighted to welcome Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency to give our keynote lecture.  The lecture was complemented by a showcase of work from across the Usher Institute.

 

10:30 Doors open: Registration for in-person attendees
11:00 Usher Institute Showcase Display
11:45 Lunch
12:15 Take your seats in main auditorium for Showcase and Annual Lecture
12:30

ONLINE EVENT BEGINS

Welcome | Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh: Director, Usher Institute
12:45

SHOWCASE

Introduction to Showcase | Professor Linda Bauld: Co-Head Centre for Population Health Sciences

Racial and ethnicity inequalities in the UK and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Dr Gwenetta Curry
Setting research priorities for global pandemic preparedness Professor Harish Nair
Antimicrobial resistance and potential role of vaccines in reducing AMR burden Dr Katie Atkins

Caring for older people in a pandemic ‒ lessons learned that can help to prepare for the future 

 Professor Alasdair MacLullich
13:10 Questions to Showcase presenters
13:15 Introduction to keynote speaker | Professor Linda Bauld
13:20

KEYNOTE LECTURE | Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for UK Health Security Agency

Zeno’s Paradoxes and Pandemic Preparedness

We must learn to sustain and maintain public health and academic collaborations developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. These collaborations encompass basic science, epidemiology, data science and modelling, genomics and immunology capacity building. We saw the rewards of these partnerships through the responses to Monkeypox and severe hepatitis in children in 2022. This talk will use some of Zeno’s paradoxes to explore optimal readiness for future epidemics and pandemics working across the UK’s four public health agencies and academic groups.
14:00

RESPONSE TO LECTURE | Paul Johnston, Chief Executive for Public Health Scotland
14:10 Questions to Professor Susan Hopkins and Paul Johnston
14:25

Vote of thanks | Professor Sarah Cunningham-Burley: Dean, Molecular Genetic and Population Health Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School

CLOSE OF ONLINE EVENT

14:30

Make your way downstairs for refreshments and Usher Institute Showcase Display
16:00 CLOSE
Publication date