We were delighted to host a visit last week from our local MP Kim Johnson to tell her about the ongoing work of The Pandemic Institute in tackling emerging infections and societal recovery, and share our future plans for a new Pandemic Preparedness and Response Facility in Liverpool.

The visit included an opportunity to talk to researchers who are currently working on a range of emerging infections such as Mpox, avian influenza and Zika virus.

Dr Krishanthi Subramaniam, a Lecturer at University of Liverpool who is part of a team that have developed a new Zika vaccine, said:

“It was great to have the chance to chat to Kim as our local MP and tell her about the work we’re doing. The pandemic taught and continues to teach us that infectious diseases are a global issue but with the help of vaccines we can make great strides in keeping everyone safe.”

Dr Subramaniam has recently been funded by The Pandemic institute to explore how the immune system responds to Mpox infections. Mpox is a viral disease that can be passed from person to person by close physical contact, and causes a range of symptoms including fever, headache and skin lesions. It continues to pose a global health challenge with an upsurge in cases across Africa in August 2024 resulting in The World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the situation a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Mpox belongs to the same family viruses as smallpox, and Dr Subramaniam’s work will also look at how similar the immune response is between people who have caught the virus (natural infection) and those who have been vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine (the current vaccine used against Mpox).

Kim had the opportunity to chat to University of Liverpool laboratory technicians Trevor Jones and Karen Ryan, who work across the full range of infectious diseases research, from growing bacteria to sequencing viral genomes. Both living locally on the Wirral, Karen gained her degree from Liverpool John Moores University whilst working at Unilever in Port Sunlight and has been in the University since 2013, and Trevor has worked at the University for over 30 years after obtaining an undergraduate degree in Bangor, and a postgraduate degree in Manchester.

As part of the visit, there was also a tour of some of University of Liverpool’s Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories, which were an essential component of the Liverpool response to Covid-19. CL3 laboratories have multiple safety features to allow for the safe handling of potentially hazardous samples. We also shared our plans for a new Pandemic Preparedness and Response Facility in Liverpool, which is supported by the Liverpool City Region Investment Zone.

Professor Tom Solomon CBE, Director of The Pandemic Institute, said:

“The pandemic made clear how important the research of universities is to pandemic preparedness and response, and our new facility will allow us to develop tests, treatments and vaccines for emerging pathogens. We are proud to be leading the way in Liverpool once again in the fight against infectious diseases.’

The visit came soon after the first meeting of The Pandemic Institute Public Steering Group, at which we shared our work including the five main research pillars and planned new facility. The group will work together going forward to prioritise topics around pandemics and emerging infections, and ensure the public voice is reflected in the work we do.

Kim Johnson, MP for Riverside, said:

“I was delighted to visit The Pandemic Institute and hear about their ongoing work and plans for the future. Their new lab facility will be another in a long line of firsts for our city and help us lead the way in preparing for and responding to future pandemics. I’m excited to support their future efforts in tackling global health challenges.’’