Poxvirus Research After Smallpox Eradication: New Findings With An Old Vaccine

In 1980 smallpox was declared eradicated after a global vaccination campaign. Today, only two labs in the world retain variola virus, the cause of smallpox, one in the USA and one in Russia – and the World Health Assembly has recommended these virus stocks be destroyed when essential research with variola virus is complete.

Professor Geoffrey L. Smith FRS, winner of the 2020 Leeuwenhoek Medal, will describe how smallpox was eradicated and what happened afterwards. Despite eradication, research with vaccinia virus, the smallpox vaccine, has endured. This research has provided new ways to make vaccines, and revealed how our cells respond to virus infection and how the virus escapes these defenses.

Attending this event

This lecture was originally scheduled for March 2020 and has now been rescheduled to take place online.

Learn more about the Poxvirus Research After Smallpox Eradication: New Findings With An Old Vaccine lecture at The Royal Society website. Register for this event on Eventbrite.