Professor George K. Christophides holds the Chair of Infectious Diseases and Immunity at Imperial College London. His research focuses on mosquito genomics and innate immunity, vector-pathogen interactions, and the development of genetic technologies for vector control and malaria elimination.

Educated in Greece and trained at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany, where he later served as Faculty, he has built a globally connected research programme spanning multiple continents. His work has helped transform understanding of vector-pathogen interactions and accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into practical vector control solutions, including in the context of climate change.

He has advised governments and international organisations on infectious diseases, vector and malaria control, and climate change impacts on human health, and has held senior academic and leadership roles. He directs the Transmission Zero programme, developing gene drive mosquitoes to interrupt malaria transmission in partnership with African institutions and global health stakeholders.

Professor Wai-Hong Tham received her PhD from Princeton University and is an Elizabeth Blackburn NHMRC Investigator L2. She currently holds a joint appointment at the Infection and Global Health Division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and at the Research School of Biology at ANU.

She has made fundamental discoveries in host-pathogen interactions, structural biology, malaria & COVID-19 therapies, nanobody technologies. Her work intersects with the fields of structural biology, immuno-epidemiology and molecular parasitology.

For her contribution to understanding malaria parasite invasion, she has received the 2023 Bancroft-Mackerras Medal, 2023 Victorian Honour Roll of Women, 2020 International Award Biochemistry Society, 2019 and 2011 Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research (team prize), 2017 David Syme Research Prize and 2017 HHMI-Wellcome International Research Scholar.