Ilaria Capua

Ilaria Capua is a Preeminent Professor and Director of the One Health Center of Excellence at the University of Florida (USA), with prior roles as Director of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (Italy) and Member of the Italian Parliament (2013–2016). Her research focuses on virology, particularly avian influenza and zoonotic diseases, advocating for open science and One Health frameworks. She pioneered the DIVA strategy for avian flu monitoring and co-founded GISAID, enabling global viral data sharing. Capua has received numerous awards, including the Gerolamo Cardano Gold Medal and Honorary Doctorate from the University of Perugia.

Education & Roles:

• Director, One Health Center (University of Florida)
• Former Director, FAO/OIE Avian Influenza Lab (IZSVe)
• Member of Italian Parliament (2013–2016)

Research Interests:

Her work integrates virology, public health policy, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Key areas include:

• Avian Influenza epidemiology and control
• Global health data sharing platforms
• One Health approaches to zoonotic diseases

Awards:

• PAIR Award (2019)
• Gerolamo Cardano Medal (2018)
• Penn Vet Leadership Award (2011)
• Scientific American 50 (2007)

Labs/Teams:

Leads the One Health Center, collaborating with global institutions on pandemic preparedness and veterinary public health initiatives.