Scientific Committee

11 – 13 SEPTEMBER 2023 | HILTON HOTEL, SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA

Prof Cheryl Cohen
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Chair Person of Scientific Committee

Cheryl Cohen is Professor in epidemiology at the University of the Witwatersrand and Heads the Centre for Respiratory Disease and Meningitis at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa. She heads a team responsible for national surveillance and generation of evidence to guide policy for control of respiratory diseases and meningitis for South Africa. Her research focuses on key pathogens such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2 and pneumococcus, among others. Key research areas include burden of disease, transmission, risk groups for severe illness and assessment of the impact and effectiveness of interventions, such as vaccination. She is a member of several national and international advisory committees and working groups mainly related to influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory diseases, including the WHO COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group on COVID vaccine strain selection (TAG-CO-VAC) and the South African Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 vaccines (VMAC).

Jean-Michel Heraud
Institut Pasteur
Co-Chair Person of Scientific Committee

Dr Jean-Michel Heraud is a virologist with a broad experience in infectious disease and public health. He has worked in different settings but mainly in tropical countries (French Guiana, Madagascar and Sénégal).

Jean-Michel actively participate in the set-up of the Malagasy integrated surveillance of influenza, arbovirus, malaria and febrile diarrhea. In Senegal, he implemented the first Senegalese viral encephalitis surveillance network, and initiate new approach for an integrated rabies surveillance.

In 2023, Jean-Michel joined the Global Influenza Programme at the WHO to work on the global integrated surveillance of Influenza and other respiratory viruses.