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In this bonus episode of Off Script, we examine the evolving state of global pandemic preparedness. In 2025, World Health Organization Member States adopted the first-ever Pandemic Agreement. However, a critical component — the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system — remains unresolved, with negotiations ongoing. With next week’s World Health Assembly in Geneva set to focus on these issues, this episode brings you a special panel discussion moderated by New York Times global health and science writer Apoorva Mandavilli. Recorded in November 2025, global leaders in pandemic science explore where progress has been made, what challenges remain, and what happens next in strengthening global pandemic preparedness. What you’ll learn Learnings from COVID-19 – the need for speed, effective vaccines, therapeutics, and surveillance, and what the world should do differently next time. The role of governments – a call for pandemic preparedness investment on par with defence spending, and for the global scientific community to lead where political action lags. Equity and access – proposals for a global pandemic fund and tiered pricing models to ensure equitable access across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Predictions for future pandemics – discussion on the pathogens most likely to cause the next global outbreak, and debate over whether host-targeted therapies or direct-acting antivirals will be more effective. Featured Experts Professor Sharon Lewin – Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Professor David Ho – Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University Professor Linfa Wang – Director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School Professor Nanshan Zhong – Director of the National Clinical Research Centre of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Laboratory Apoorva Mandavilli – Global Health and Science Writer, The New York Times This bonus episode of Off Script is hosted by Rebecca Elliott and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Keep up to date on our work via https://www.doherty.edu.au/cumming-global-centre-for-pandemic-therapeutics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script Episode 5: The Future We Could Have Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Episode Summary In the final episode of this five-part series, we imagine the pandemic future we could have if we start preparing now. With therapeutic drugs ready before the next pandemic hits, we could keep more people out of hospital, help economies stay resilient, and make better-informed decisions about public health measures. This episode brings together Australia's leading health economists, policymakers, and scientists to explore how pandemic therapeutics fit into comprehensive pandemic preparedness. What You'll Learn: Economic blind spot - How Australia's pre-pandemic plans overlooked economic impacts. The $3 billion weekly cost - Quantifying lockdowns' massive economic impact and how therapeutics could dramatically reduce restrictive measures in future pandemics. Risk-based decision making - Why having treatments available transforms political leaders' risk calculations, enabling more nuanced responses than "zero tolerance" approaches. Trust and communication challenges - Lessons from COVID-19 on science communication, why advice changes as evidence evolves, and building public trust for future pandemic responses. Platform technology promise - How preparedness investments in foundational research infrastructure could enable rapid response to unknown future pathogens. CDC establishment - Australia's new Centre for Disease Control and how it will coordinate research, evidence, and rapid response for future pandemics. Equity and accessibility imperative - Why therapeutics must be widely available and trusted to truly make a difference, especially for the most vulnerable populations. Global investment reality - The scale of funding needed for pandemic preparedness and why the returns far outweigh the costs. Featured Experts Dr. Angela Jackson - Health economist and co-leader of Australia's independent COVID-19 inquiry, revealing how economic planning failures prolonged lockdowns and why therapeutic availability changes everything for future pandemic management. Professor Michael Kidd - Australia's Chief Medical Officer, outlining the comprehensive infrastructure being built for pandemic preparedness, from the Australian CDC to international research collaborations. Professor Brett Sutton - Former Victorian Chief Health Officer and current CSIRO researcher, exploring the science communication challenges ahead and how therapeutics could provide crucial protection for society's most vulnerable. Professor Sharon Lewin - Doherty Institute Director, assessing Australia's pandemic preparedness progress while highlighting the trust and global cooperation challenges that remain. Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script Episode 4: Global Health Equity Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Episode Summary The COVID-19 pandemic hit many developing countries especially hard, overwhelming already stretched health systems while devastating tourism-dependent economies. Looking ahead, widely available therapeutics could be game-changers – keeping people out of hospitals, easing pressure on health systems, and helping keep economies open. This episode explores the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic preparedness reaches everyone, everywhere. What You'll Learn: Pacific resilience - How Pacific Island nations' experience with natural disasters creates unique strengths and vulnerabilities in pandemic response. Health system flexibility - Why limited resources sometimes breed innovation, and how Pacific health workers adapt to multiple crisis situations. Therapeutic advantage - How having treatments available could help countries reopen borders and return to normal faster than vaccines alone. Global collaboration in action - The cross-border support systems that make Pacific pandemic response possible, from emergency medical teams to resource sharing. Pandemic agreement breakthrough - The world's second global health treaty and how it will ensure equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The preparedness gap - Why high-income countries failed while some "poorly prepared" nations succeeded, and what this teaches us about true pandemic readiness. Investment ecosystem revealed - The complex pipeline from university research to patient treatment, and why all stages matter. Featured Experts Dr. Gina Samaan - WHO Regional Emergency Director explaining how Pacific health systems adapt to constant challenges and why therapeutics are crucial for future preparedness Professor Michel Kazatchkine - Former Global Fund Executive Director and Member of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness, sharing lessons from COVID-19's devastating impact on global health programs. The technology exists. The investment is flowing. The question now is: will we be ready? Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script Episode 3: The mRNA Revolution Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Episode Summary mRNA technology isn't just about vaccines – it's a platform that could revolutionise pandemic therapeutics. Discover how Melbourne has become a global leader in mRNA research, from the government strategy positioning Victoria as a biotech powerhouse to the cutting-edge science happening in our labs. Learn how this technology works, why it was ready for COVID-19, and how it's being adapted to create the next generation of pandemic treatments. What You'll Learn: Platform technology power - Why mRNA is like "IKEA furniture" – modular components that can be quickly assembled to respond to different viruses Melbourne's mRNA ecosystem - How Victoria's 25-year investment in medical research led to securing both Moderna and BioNTech manufacturing facilities. The messenger explained - Understanding how mRNA works as nature's instruction manual, delivering recipes to cells to produce therapeutic proteins. Beyond vaccines - How mRNA is being developed as a therapeutic for cancer treatment, HIV cure research, and respiratory pathogens. Delivery innovation - The breakthrough research turning therapeutic mRNA into inhalable aerosols that target the lungs directly. Investment pipeline - The complex journey from university discovery to patient treatment, and why platform technologies accelerate development. Speed advantage - How mRNA can be designed and ordered online, enabling rapid response to future pandemic threats. Featured Experts Dr. Amanda Caples - Victoria's Lead Scientist and Chair of mRNA Victoria's Science Advisory Group, explaining how mRNA works and Victoria's strategic investment in the technology Dr. Paula Cevaal - Doherty Institute researcher pioneering mRNA therapeutics, including revolutionary delivery methods that could transform pandemic response Devon Sok - Head of Science at Global Health Investment Corporation, revealing the investment ecosystem that brings breakthrough technologies from lab to patient What's Coming Next Episode 4 explores how these breakthrough technologies can reach everyone, everywhere – especially in developing countries where health systems are most vulnerable. Discover the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic therapeutics reach those who need them most. Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script Episode 2: Australia's Moonshot Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Episode Summary Australia has a history of punching above its weight in medical research – from the cervical cancer vaccine to the bionic ear. Now we’re on the brink of our next breakthrough: pandemic therapeutics. Go behind the scenes with the politicians backing this moonshot and the scientists making it happen in Melbourne’s world-class biomedical precinct. What You'll Learn: The political perspective - Why Health Minister Mark Butler sees pandemic preparedness as both a health imperative and a matter of national security Victoria's billion-dollar bet - How the Victorian Government's $1 billion investment over 10 years is positioning Melbourne as a global biotech powerhouse. Manufacturing sovereignty - The game-changing Moderna facility that will produce 100 million vaccine doses annually, securing Australia's pandemic independence. Regional leadership - How Australia's new capabilities will support our Pacific neighbours and establish us as a middle power in global health. Lab life revealed - Go inside the Doherty Institute's cutting-edge laboratories where CRISPR technology and flow cytometry are accelerating discoveries. Gender matters: Male and female immune systems respond dramatically differently to threats - yet we typically treat them identically. Featured Experts The Hon. Mark Butler MP - Federal Health Minister explaining why therapeutics are crucial for hospital system resilience and pandemic preparedness. The Hon. Danny Pearson MP - Victorian Medical Research Minister on why Melbourne is attracting global talent and the economic power of medical breakthroughs Professor Laura McKay - Doherty Institute immunologist sharing her journey from aspiring artist to virus hunter and the collaborative magic of Melbourne's research precinct. What’s Coming Next Episode 3 dives deep into the cutting-edge technology being developed in these very labs. From AI-powered drug discovery to revolutionary therapeutic platforms, discover how Australian scientists are racing to solve the therapeutic development timeline. The future of pandemic preparedness is being built right here in Melbourne. Don't miss the next episode of what could be the most important scientific story of our time. Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script Episode 1 – The Missing Piece Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Episode Summary: While Australia's COVID-19 response was among the world's best, there was one critical gap in our pandemic toolkit: therapeutics. In this eye-opening first episode, we explore the missing piece that could have saved millions of lives and discover why we're racing to fill this gap before the next pandemic hits. What You'll Learn: The breakthrough that started it all - How the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity made history as the first lab outside China to map the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, and the crucial decision to share it with the world immediately. Therapeutics vs. vaccines explained - The key difference between preventing illness and treating it once you're infected (spoiler: we need both!) The staggering investment gap - Why $190 billion went to vaccine development while only $7 billion was invested in therapeutics by 2021. The global perspective - World Health Organization's Sir Jeremy Farrar reveals why therapeutic development lagged behind and what it means for pandemic preparedness. The speed problem - Why current drug development takes too long for pandemic response and the innovative technologies being developed to change that. Featured Experts Professor Sharon Lewin - Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, internationally renowned HIV researcher, and Director of the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics. Sir Jeremy Farrar - Assistant Director General at the World Health Organization, former Director of the Wellcome Trust, and author of "Spike". What's Coming Next Episode 2 dives into Australia's moonshot goal to develop pandemic therapeutics for the whole world. Discover the incredible medical research capability being built right here in Melbourne's biomedical precinct. Subscribe now so you don't miss what might be the most important podcast series you hear all year. Because when it comes to pandemics, preparation isn't just smart policy - it's a matter of life and death. Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off Script is a podcast hosted by science communicator Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute). The five-part series explores one of the most important questions in global health: How do we prepare for the next pandemic? And – how could therapeutic drugs keep people out of hospital, and keep our cities and towns open? This series invites you to join the movement — to unlock the power of therapeutics and change the course of future pandemics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on 28 July, is just around the corner and aims to raise awareness of the virus that’s responsible for more than one million deaths a year. But what is hepatitis and what’s the difference between strains A-E? What are researchers doing to find a cure for the most common strain, hepatitis B? Discover answers to these questions and more from Professor Peter Revill, Head of Regional and Global Health at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory and Head of International Research Partnerships at the Doherty Institute.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post infection disease is a term that has become more familiar to many more of us following the COVID-19 pandemic. How do we diagnose and treat post infection disease, like Long COVID? And how to we add this aspect to our future pandemic preparedness? Learn more about common symptoms, at-risk groups and more from Long COVID expert Professor Lena Sanci, Head of the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Melbourne. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With COVID-19 being described as an endemic infection, we are now very much living with the virus. As we approach the Winter months in Australia, where are we at with case numbers? When is the correct time to get a your booster vaccination for COVID-19? And how effective are antiviral treatments? To give us an update on COVID-19, we're joined by Professor Ben Cowie, an infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Chief Health Officer in Victoria’s Department of Health. Show notes COVID-19 vaccine advice and recommendations for 2024 - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website COVID-19 booster eligibility checker - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday, 20 May marked International Clinical Trials Day, which recognises the anniversary of the first controlled clinical trial conducted back in 1747. So why are clinical trials important when it comes to advancing therapeutics and vaccines? Are clinical trials safe? What's involved if you participate in a trial? We learn more from infectious diseases physician and clinician scientist, Professor Michelle Giles, head of the Vaccine Research Group at the Doherty Institute. Show notes: Now recruiting volunteers: Are you interested in being part of an RSV vaccine study? Get in touch Want to join the Vaccine Research Group database to find out about clinical trial volunteer opportunities?  Email: [email protected] Phone: +61 3 8344 9325 or +61 4 1832 2346 Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Influenza B viruses are often overlooked but can cause significant illness and mortality, especially in children. Little is known about how the immune system interacts with these viruses, however a recent breakthrough by researchers at the Doherty Institute may revolutionise how we are protected against influenza B and for longer periods. Tejas Menon, co-author of the recent discovery and PhD Candidate at the Doherty Institute, explains how the immune system consistently recognises fragments of influenza B viruses, which opens up potential new targets for vaccine development. Show notes: News story: New frontiers in influenza B research: Breakthrough unveils promising targets for vaccine development Peer review: Menon T, Illing P, Chaurasia P, et al. CD8+ T-cell responses towards conserved influenza B virus epitopes across anatomical sites and age. Nature Communications (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47576-y   Check out our previous episode: Here’s what you need to know about flu season 2024 Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does your immune system remember viruses you've previously been infected with? Do your genetics play a role in your immune system? Can you boost immunity with certain foods or vitamins? Ahead of the International Day of Immunology (April 29) we chat with Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty to answer these questions and more, unravelling the complexities and exploring the wonders of our body's line of defence against disease; our immune system. Show notes: An Insider's Plague Year written by Peter Doherty  The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1996 was awarded jointly to Peter C. Doherty and Rolf M. Zinkernagel "for their discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immune defence" Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re just a couple of weeks away from May, which marks the official start of the influenza season in Australia. So what can we expect from the upcoming flu season and when is the best time to get your annual flu vaccine?  Learn more about flu vaccination, virus variants and current influenza surveillance from Virologist and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Professor Kanta Subbarao. Show notes: Learn more about Influenza vaccination and the National Immunisation Program via the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website. Interested in the work of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza at the Doherty Institute? Visit the Centre website. Check out our episode on avian influenza: Avian influenza (H5N1): why are experts concerned about the virus reaching Antarctica? Find out about recent announcement of funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to develop a novel antiviral drug to counter influenza. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Doherty Clinical Trials Ltd, Australia’s first purpose-built facility specifically commissioned to deliver volunteer infection studies, was officially opened by the Victorian Minister for Medical Research, The Honourable Ben Carroll MP. Doherty Clinical Trials has been established by the Doherty Institute to accelerate the development of novel medicines and vaccines through bespoke early phase clinical trials. So, what is a volunteer infection study? How is it different to other clinical trial facilities? Find out more from Doherty Clinical Trials Chief Medical Officer, Professor James McCarthy and Director of the Doherty Institute, Professor Sharon Lewin. Shownotes: Doherty Clinical Trials website Media release: Australia’s first purpose-built facility to deliver human challenge trials launches in Melbourne The Age: Virus volunteers to help Melbourne’s new human trials clinic prepare for the next pandemic Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.