Georgina Ferry interviews Neelika Malavige, Academic Visitor and Professor (University of Sri Jayewardenepura), 18 January 2023.
Topics discussed include (00:01:02) early interest in science, particularly biology, medical school and research work, PhD at Oxford working under the supervision of Graham Ogg at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Immunology; (00:03:40) interest and work on dengue fever in Sri Lanka; (00:09:29) first awareness of COVID-19; (00:12:37) impact of COVID-19 on Sri Lanka; (00:15:55) PCR testing at University of Sri Jayewardenepura laboratory, including virus sequencing; (00:20:16) work on antibodies for COVID-19, PCR testing and Sri Lanka's zero COVID policy; (00:25:13) work of Tao Dong and Graham Ogg on T-cells, collaboration of the groups at Oxford; (00:30:00) collaboration with Alain Townsend's group, work on a community-based serosurvey; (00:33:00) immunogenicity studies for Covovax; (00:34:30) immunogenicity studies for various vaccines; (00:40:00) comparison of different vaccines; (00:42:17) coverage of vaccination in population; (00:45:44) impact on dengue work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; (00:51:50) dengue vaccine developed by Takeda; (00:54:22) severe dengue in pregnant women and in people with comorbidities, work with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative; (00:57:56) international collaboration as a result of the pandemic; (01:00:46) impact of the pandemic and zero COVID policy on personal and work life; (01:06:36) changes in approach to work as a result of the pandemic and hopes for the future.
