UW-Madison: Ebola vaccine/Sierra Leone project briefing

MEDIA ADVISORY

TO: Editors/News Directors

FROM: Terry Devitt, 608-262-8282,
trdevitt@wisc.edu

DATE: 4/20/15

MADISON – Yoshihiro Kawaoka, the University of Wisconsin-Madison virologist who recently developed a whole virus vaccine against the Ebola virus, will brief legislators, legislative staff and others about his lab’s work to combat the deadly pathogen. To date, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has claimed at least 10,000 lives. Whole virus vaccines have long been used to prevent serious human diseases, including polio, influenza and hepatitis. An effective vaccine is one critical countermeasure to pathogens like Ebola. Kawaoka will also outline his work in Sierra Leone to develop research collaborations and help that country develop the resources and research infrastructure necessary to detect, study and deter serious pathogens like Ebola.



The briefing will be held Tuesday, April 21, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. in the North Hearing Room of the State Capitol. The event is free and open to the public.