Seeking Solutions to Global Health Threats

The 1918 Flu pandemic killed over 50 million people – two percent of the world’s population at the time. In today’s world, where people are more mobile and the globe is more densely populated, such an outbreak would kill in excess of 150 million people worldwide. UNC Gillings School’s Ralph Baric, Ph.D., is among a small cadre of people across the globe working to keep this from ever happening again.

Baric and his team are world leaders in coronavirus and influenza virus research. They have developed new models of vaccine development for diseases including SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), Zika, a variety of influenza strains and West Nile virus. His focus on preventing these diseases before they can gain hold in the population has led to groundbreaking innovations and unique partnerships that can help fast-track his discoveries.

 

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