Hany Zinad

Research Interest:

My work focuses on understanding how viruses change over time and how our immune system responds to them, with the goal of helping improve vaccines and prepare for future outbreaks.

I am currently part of an international research program studying dengue and Zika viruses in several countries around the world. These viruses infect millions of people each year, but they can behave differently depending on where they are circulating. I analyse their genetic information to understand how they vary between regions and how these differences might affect how people respond to infection.

Background:

I have a background in veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, with a strong interest in infectious diseases, immunology, and vaccine development. I completed my PhD in Biomedical Sciences, where I studied how genetic processes—particularly RNA regulation—control how cells and pathogens function, using gene-editing approaches to better understand these mechanisms. Following my PhD, I worked at the UK Health Security Agency in a high-containment diagnostic laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic, where I supported large-scale SARS-CoV-2 testing and contributed to laboratory leadership during a critical public health response. I then moved to the University of Oxford as a postdoctoral researcher, where my work focused on understanding immune responses to different influenza virus subtypes. In this role, I identified and validated regions of limited variability on the haemagglutinin protein that can trigger protective immune responses, helping to inform the development of broader and more effective vaccines.