BTS Scientific Lecture

Professor Daniela Ferreira is an expert in mucosal immunity to respiratory infections, vaccine trials and experimental medicine, with particular focus on human challenge models. She is Deputy Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and Professor of Mucosal Immunity and Vaccinology at the Ellison Institute of Technology.

Professor Calum Semple OBE grew up in Glasgow and Edinburgh. He is a doctor who specialises in treating children with breathing problems and studying serious infectious diseases. He studied medicine at Oxford University and has a PhD in Clinical Virology from University College London. In 2006, he became a Consultant at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where he treats children with respiratory conditions. He's also a Professor at the University of Liverpool, focusing on outbreak medicine and child health. He continues these roles on a reduced basis during his time with the Scottish Government, which is part-time. For over 30 years, Calum has studied serious viral outbreaks. He helped set up ISARIC in 2012, an international organisation that brings together experts to tackle severe outbreaks and pandemics. His research has covered diseases including HIV/AIDS, bronchiolitis, flu, Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19 and Hepatitis. Between 2014 and 2016, he led medical research in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak. For this work, he and his team received the Queen's Ebola Medal. He also won a Commonwealth Award in 2019 for his continued support of Ebola survivors. Calum has advised governments and the World Health Organization during major health crises, including the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. He was awarded an OBE in 2020 for his work during COVID-19.