معرفی
Prof Derek Smith is a Professor of Infectious Disease Informatics in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge, serving as Director of the Centre for Pathogen Evolution and affiliated with the Infectious Diseases Research Centre. His pioneering work in antigenic cartography—a mathematical method to quantify viral strain differences—revolutionized influenza vaccine strain selection by the WHO and now extends to SARS-CoV-2 research.
His research focuses on pathogen evolution and host-pathogen coevolution, particularly in influenza and coronaviruses. Using antigenic cartography combined with genetic and population biology techniques, he analyzes viral antigenic drift, immune escape mechanisms, and cross-reactive immunity. This work directly informs pandemic preparedness, vaccine design, and understanding of immune imprinting phenomena observed in SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Prof Smith actively recruits PhD students for pathogen evolution research through the Centre for Pathogen Evolution, which coordinates global collaborations on viral surveillance and antigenic mapping. His leadership integrates computational biology, virology, and immunology to address emerging infectious disease threats, with recent emphasis on SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics and cross-protective immunity.
