Pandemics, pathogens and being prepared: why the work to identify emerging threats never stops

‘In the past, we used to think pandemics would occur maybe once in our lifetimes. Now, it’s definitely within the next few years,’ says Prof Emma Thomson. Photograph: PA

Prof Emma Thomson is someone who knows a thing or two about pandemics. As the recently appointed director of the Medical Research Council, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) and a World Heath Organization consultant, Thomson is one of the country’s leading virus experts.

“We used to think that pandemics would occur maybe once in our lifetimes. Now, it’s definitely within the next few years. It could even be tomorrow,” she says.