Bird flu:
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU COVID-19 MAY NOT BE THE ONLY PANDEMIC WE HAVE TO FACE IN OUR LIFETIME?
Who am I?
Naomi lawson
I'm a first-year PhD student in Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. My background is in applied animal science and, having worked as a molecular biology scientist in veterinary diagnostics for 4 years, I am keen to utilise my knowledge to make a difference. With a passion for avian conservation, my research is focused on preventing future bird flu outbreaks by developing a cheap and easy-to-use detection tool.
THE THREAT
avian influenza
Bird flu is a devastating virus that kills thousands of birds each year causing massive economic and conservational impacts globally. The virus is adaptive through its ability to mutate, allowing it to spread to other animals - including humans. While the pathogen cannot spread from person to person yet, there are concerns that if this were to occur in the future then there could be another pandemic.
learning from past pandemics
Diagnostics
During COVID-19, while vaccines were critical for helping us combat the virus, diagnostic tools such as simple home test kits alongside lab testing were successful in aiding us track and monitor the outbreak.
This knowledge enabled us to make more informed biosecurity decisions, especially when vaccines were not available. Without the combination of these diagnostic tests, the effectiveness of the public health measures that were implemented would have been drastically reduced.
My phd research goal:
To combine the convenience of home testing with the power of lab testing by developing an electrochemical biosensor for detecting bird flu. If we can better monitor outbreaks, maybe we will be able to prevent another lockdown and save lives.Want to learn more or have any questions? Feel free to contact me below!