A Zika-y situation

Why do some viruses appear suddenly, wreak havoc, and then disappear? Could Zika appear again, perhaps in Australia? Join us to hear how viruses transmitted by mosquitoes cause outbreaks and how new approaches might control their spread.

Dr Francesca Frentiu is a Research Fellow and Lecturer at QUT. She studies the the biology of mosquito-borne viruses (Zika, dengue and chikungunya) to develop better tools for stopping transmission.

Here's news! Extracts from an Australian native plant can kill the Zika virus, all four strains of Dengue, and the Australian variant of the West Nile virus with zero damage or toxic effects to the host mammalian cells. Come and find out all about it!

Dr. Trudi Collet was awarded her PhD from QUT in 2007. She currently leads the Innovative Medicines Group and specialises in the pharmaceutical potential of Australian native plants for their use as novel therapeutics for global infections and diseases. 

Queensland's scientific ecosystem is supported by cutting-edge research infrastructure and partnerships. Hear the story of Queensland’s success in science, how we got to where we are, and what's in the future for Queensland.

Sebastian Dimech is a science policy evaluator, data scientist and bibliometrican at the QLD Department of Environment and Science. He was recently awarded a Graduate Diploma of Data Science from the University of Southern Queensland.