H5N1: The Current State of the Avian Flu Outbreak

What is the current public health threat and what response is required to mitigate the H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus outbreak? During this event our speakers will bring expertise in veterinary health, virology, infectious disease, One Health and epidemiology to break down the answers to those questions. In a conversation led by Dr. Louise Ivers, experts will dive into the evolution of prior H5N1 outbreaks and explore why animal to human transmission of viruses poses a real threat to public health.

About our Speakers

Ellen Carlin, DVM, Founder of Parapet Science & Policy Consulting

Ellen P. Carlin, DVM is the founder of the animal and public health firm Parapet Science & Policy Consulting and is also a vice president with Pathway Policy Group. She studies the epidemiology of emerging infections, particularly risk factors for zoonotic spillover, and supports development of improved policies to address them. She served for more than five years as staff on Capitol Hill with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security. Her book, Catastrophic Incentives: Why Our Approaches to Disasters Keep Falling Short, was published with co-author Jeff Schlegelmilch in 2023.

Martin S. Hirsch, MD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital

Martin S. Hirsch is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Physician at the MGH. For over 50 years, he has been involved in virology research and training. Since 1981, the major focus of his laboratory and clinical research has been on HIV pathogenesis and therapy. His laboratory was the first to demonstrate that certain combinations of antiretroviral drugs were synergistic in vitro, opening the door to clinical trials of combination therapy that have helped revolutionize the treatment of HIV infections. He also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Infectious Diseases for 2 decades and is one of the Editors-in-Chief for infectious disease topics for UpToDate. Dr. Hirsch has trained many fellows who have become leaders in HIV research and Infectious Diseases and was the first recipient of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) Mentor Award. He has received additional honors, including the Clinical Virology Award from the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology, the Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Antiviral Society –USA (IAS-USA), and the Alexander Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement from the IDSA.

Tim Uyeki, MD, MPH, MPP, Chief Medical Officer, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Dr. Tim Uyeki is the chief medical officer in the Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He has worked at CDC on the clinical aspects, epidemiology, prevention, and control of influenza in the United States and worldwide since 1998. Dr. Uyeki is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at USCF, an attending physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and adjunct professor in the Department of Global Health, Public Health at Emory University. Dr. Uyeki has been a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) for many years on clinical and epidemiological issues related to seasonal, zoonic, and pandemic influenza, SARS-Cov; MERS-CoV, and Ebola virus diseases.

Louise C. Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H, Faculty Director, Harvard Global Health Institute

Dr. Louise C. Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H is the Faculty Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute and the Executive Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Global Health. Dr. Ivers is also the David Bangsberg Endowed Chair in Global Health Equity at MGH and a Professor of Medicine and Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ivers has spent her career providing care to the rural and urban poor and engaging in patient-oriented investigation that offer solutions to barriers to healthcare. She works on the design, implementation, and evaluation of large-scale public health programs in resource-limited settings with the goal of achieving health equity. She has worked on healthcare delivery in India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. From 2003-2017, Dr. Ivers served in various leadership roles for Partners in Health, including Clinical Director, Chief of mission, and Director of strategic implementation. In addition to expanding access to healthcare for the poor, Dr. Ivers has contributed to published research articles on HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and cholera treatment and prevention and is involved in global policy and advocacy.

Speakers will share their own perspectives; they do not speak for the university.