Professor Ervin Fodor is Elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
The Dunn School is proud to report that Professor Ervin Fodor, Professor of Virology, has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, as the Academy announced on 13 May 2020.
Election to the Academy is a prestigious honour, which recognizes Professor Fodor’s research on virology, particularly on the fundamental molecular mechanisms of how influenza viruses replicate.
The recognition of Professor Fodor’s work in virology is particularly timely in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Similar to coronaviruses, influenza viruses can lead to severe respiratory illnesses that are responsible for up to 650,000 deaths a year, according to the WHO. As they are responsible for the 2009-10 “Swine Flu” and one of the deadliest pandemics in history, the 1918-19 “Spanish Flu”, the study of influenza viruses is therefore of critical importance.
Professor Fodor undertook his postgraduate studies at the Dunn School, receiving his DPhil in Pathology in 1995. Before establishing his group at the Dunn School, he also spent time at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
“I am honoured to have been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences,” says Professor Fodor. “This honour really reflects the hard work of many colleagues, postdocs and graduate students, I have had the privilege to work with over the years. I am grateful to everyone, and hope that our work will continue contributing to the understanding of infectious diseases and lead to improved preventions and treatments.”
His group is currently collaborating with both industrial and academic partners to assess the potential of existing antivirals at shutting down SARS-CoV-2’s replication, the coronavirus responsible for the ongoing pandemic.
The Academy of Medical Sciences is one of four National Academies in the United Kingdom. Their mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. Election into the Academy “is based on exceptional contributions to the medical sciences, either in the form of original discovery or of sustained contributions to scholarship.” Professor Fodor is one of six academics from the University of Oxford recognized this year. They will join a group of 1200 elected members from fields across the biomedical sciences.
Written by Derek Xu
