Location:
Faculty Hall
Academy Public Lecture and INSA–Leopoldina Lecture by Prof. Jörg Hacker, President, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina – National Academy of Sciences.
Title of the Lecture : How to combat infectious diseases: The role of Science Academies.
Over the past several years, the global emergence of outbreaks of infectious diseases has revealed that new approaches to fight and prevent the spread of pathogens are urgently needed. Several recent health events, such as the Ebola outbreak, the Zika virus epidemic and the recent Cholera outbreak in Yemen, underscore the need for a public and global health system. A combination of various factors contributes to the emergence of infectious diseases. Worldwide population growth with expanding poverty and urban migration, increasing international travel and trade, and globalised food distribution, favour the spread of infectious diseases. Mutations, gene transfer and recombination are responsible for pathogen variability, and drug-resistant infections are on the rise. Science is a crucial part of the response to new and emerging infectious diseases. Both basic and applied sciences are needed to establish novel pathways to fight pathogens and evaluate the preventive role of new approaches. In his talk, Prof. Jörg Hacker will illustrate the role science academies play in initiating and supporting programmes concerning infectious diseases at various levels and promoting a spirit of public discussion. He will put special emphasis on statements by national and international academies on antibiotic resistance and global health and highlight their impact on politics and society.
Prof. Raghavendra Gadagkar will chair.
Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/c/IndianAcademyofSciences
