This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
A resource for journalists to find stories and sources.
At Asia Research News, we have a strong network of researchers at institutes throughout Asia and beyond. Our Experts for Media series highlights ongoing research and expertise around one theme or topic.
We are continously updating our COVID-19 resource to connect journalists with experts prepared to speak with international media. Below are experts in virology and public health. We have a separate page of experts in economic and social impacts, developing countries, travel, tourism, and spread of information.
Journalists are welcome to contact researchers directly, or reach out to us at [email protected] if you need help finding a source.
Articles on Asia Research News related to COVID-19 are available here.
"Thanks so much for the heads-up to what I'm sure will be a very valuable service." - Journalist, Singapore
Latest updates from the World Health Organization.
Map tracking COVID-19 cases by Johns Hopkins University.
COVID-19 Information Centre from Asian Development Bank and BMJ
VIROLOGY & PUBLIC HEALTH
ARGENTINA
Professor Francisco José Barrantes
Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Barrantes is interested in the basic aspects of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, particularly in structure-function correlations of the virus that could lead to the development of prophylactic or therapeutic approaches. Full profile here. He published a review article in Frontiers in Physiology "While we wait for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, why not think about available drugs?"
BANGLADESH
Professor Mahmudur Rahman
Programme for Emerging Infections, Infectious Disease Division
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B)
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: infectious diseases, public health policies
Languages comfortable speaking: English
Served as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and National Influenza Center in Bangladesh for about twelve years. Devoted 33 years to epidemiologic and public health research and surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and public health policies. Led the 2009 H1N1 pandemic response in Bangladesh. Retired from government service in June 2016. Currently, serving as Consultant in the Programme for Emerging Infections, Infectious Disease Division, icddr,b. Full profile here
(Added April 3, 2020)
- In the media:
- Coronavirus Testing: Some pvt hospitals feel they too can - The Daily Star, March 22, 2020
HONG KONG
Professor Dirk U. Pfeiffer
Director of the Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice (OHRP)
Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health
City University of Hong Kong
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Professor Pfeiffer has expertise in One Health approaches, with a specific focus on epidemiological aspects of animal disease control and prevention, including zoonotic diseases such as avian influenza and bovine tuberculosis and animal diseases such as African swine fever. He is the Chow Tak Fung Chair Professor of One Health.
Language comfortable speaking: English
- In the media:
- 'Live animals are the largest source of infection': dangers of the export trade - The Gaurdian, Jan. 21, 2020
- Seeing the Wuhan crisis in context - One Health Poultry Hub, Jan. 28, 2020
- Scientists question work suggesting pangolin coronavirus link - Reuters, Feb. 7, 2020
- Commentary: China's coronavirus lockdown on cities was necessary. But there are more important lessons - Channel News Asia, Feb. 7, 2020
- Coronavirus may be spreading undetected outside of China - The Telegraph, Feb. 17, 2020
- Coronavirus Has 'Pandemic Potential' But Isn't There Yet, WHO Says - NPR, Feb. 24, 2020
- Hong Kong has contained coronavirus so far -- but at a significant cost - NPR, March, 1, 2020
- A coronavirus lesson from China: don't make patients pay for tests and treatment - South China Morning Post, March 11, 2020
- Asia braces for second wave of infections from overseas - The Telegraph, March 21, 2020
- Coronavirus can infect cats -- dogs, not so much - Nature, April 1, 2020
- One virus caused COVID-19. Scientists say thousands more are in waiting - South China Morning Post, April 6, 2020
Professor David Hui
Director of the Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Respiratory medicine
Languages comfortable speaking: English, Cantonese
- In the media:
- Coronavirus tally in epicentre Wuhan may be ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ - South China Morning Post, Feb. 3, 2020
- Coronavirus: study shows half of in mainland China had no fever during hospital admission - South China Morning Post, Feb. 29, 2020
- Coronavirus: South Korea's aggressive testing gives clues to true fatality rate - South China Morning Post, March 5, 2020
- Hong Kong's coronavirus response leads to sharp drop in flu cases - Financial Times, March 5, 2020
- What We Can Learn From Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong About Handling Coronavirus - Time, March 13, 2020
- Hong Kong to quarantine arrivals from all foregin countries - Asia One, March 17, 2020
- Coronavirus: Hong Kong has flattened the curve but can it stay the course? - South China Morning Post, March 24, 2020
- Press releases:
-
CU Medicine Announces the Community Response Study Results During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hong Kong - Feb. 19, 2020
- CUHK finds coronavirus in stool samples after clearance from respiratory track - March 17, 2020
JAPAN
Professor Hitoshi Oshitani
Department of Virology
Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Virology, Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Control
Languages comfortable speaking: Japanese, English
- In the media:
- Tokyo Olympics organizers look on anxiously as coronavirus menaces the Games - Washington Post, Jan. 31, 2020
- Commentary: Looks like containment of novel coronavirus not as effective as we had hoped - Channel News Asia, Feb. 6, 2020
- Thousands more will be infected but deaths likely low: experts - Nekkei Asian Review, Feb. 6, 2020
- China's neighbours are rushing to contain the spread of the new coronavirus - The Economist, Feb. 13, 2020
- Virologist: Tokyo Olympics probably couldn't be held now - AP, Feb. 19, 2020
- Outbreak, economic ills dim luster of Japan’s Olympic year - AP, Feb. 22, 2020
- Coronavirus infections keep mounting after cruise ship fiasco in Japan - Science, Feb. 25, 2020
Japan finds 15 clusters of coronavirus-infected people - Kyodo News, March 16, 2020 - Experts warn Japanese growing complacent of coronavirus risk - Reuters, March 24, 2020
- Tokyo lifts state of emergency, braces for 'new lifestyle' with the virus - Washington Post, May 25, 2020
- Japan ends its state of emergency - Science, May 26, 2020
Tetsuo Kase, Ph.D.
Department of Public Health
Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine
Email: [email protected]
Research areas he can comment on: My field is an epidemiology of infectious disease, especially respiratory and eruptive viral infections (such as influenza and measles), and zoonoses. Another is evaluation of vaccine effectiveness/efficacy of influenza and so on.
Language: Japanese. If English, emails only.
(added March 24, 2020)
Professor Kentaro Iwata
Division of Infectious Diseases Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medicine
Kobe University
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Infectious disease control, treatment and risk management.
Languages comfortable speaking: Japanese, English
Prof. Iwata is an expert in infectious disease control and prevention.
- In the media:
- Expert stirs controversy with video on 'inadequate' virus controls on Diamond Princess – The Japan Times, February 19, 2020
- Scientist decries ‘completely chaotic’ conditions on cruise ship Japan quarantined after viral outbreak – Science Magazine, February 19, 2020
- Diamond Princess Critic Says Tokyo Olympics Should Be Halted – Reuters, March 19, 2020
- Japan virus expert Kentaro Iwata 'pessimistic' Olympics can be held in 2021 - Japan Times, April 20, 2020
- Did Japan miss its chance to keep the coronavirus in check? - Science, April 22, 2020
KOREA
Professor Eui-Cheol Shin, M.D.
Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Virology, Immunology
Languages comfortable speaking: English and Korean
My Laboratory of Immunology and Infectious Diseases studies T cell immune responses in viral diseases and immunologic diseases. In order to understand T cell immune responses comprehensively, my lab studies not only anti-viral immune responses but also immunopathologic mechanisms in host damage. In addition, my lab tries to develop T cell vaccines and apply them in viral diseases.
(added March 27, 2020)
Professor Su Hyung Park
Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Immunology, Infectious Disease, Vaccine
Languages comfortable speaking: English and Korean
My Lab of Translational Immunology & Vaccinology studies: Protective T cell immunity against intractable disease; Detailed immunological mechanisms involved in pathogenesis and prognosis of infectious and immunologic disease; and Novel immunological biomarkers for prognosis of infectious and immunologic disease. To this end, we are conducting sophisticated techniques in translational immunology using patients’ clinical samples. In parallel, based on multidisciplinary studies in translational and basic immunology, we focus on the development of novel T cell-based preventive and therapeutic vaccines to intractable infectious diseases.
(added March 27, 2020)
MALAYSIA
Dr. Cheng-Siang Tan
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Email: [email protected]Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Covid-19 vaccines
Languages comfortable speaking: English; Bahasa
Dr. Cheng-Siang Tan is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). He is an expert in infectious and emerging diseases and biosafety and biorisk management.
In the media:
- Vaccines and vitamin D: Measuring immune responses - Asia Research News, March 10, 2023
- Covid-19: Automation tools to speed up backlog testing, expert advice - Malaysiakini, Apr 8, 2020
- Unimas studying antibody progression pattern after Covid-19 vaccination - Borneo Post, Sam Chua, July 1, 2021
- [Q&A] Behind COVID-19 test labs and processes - Science Media Centre Malaysia, Su Lin, April 8, 2020
PHILIPPINES
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth - Philippines
Filipino youth organization, UN SDSN Youth created a consolidated and comprehensive Interactive Philippine Dashboard on COVID-19, the first and only youth-led online knowledge platform on COVID, designed for young people. Full profile here.
SINGAPORE
Professor Gregory Gray
Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme
Duke-NUS Medical School
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Viral respiratory diseases, zoonotic diseases, occupational infectious disease, influenza viruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, coronaviruses, and evaluations of new infectious disease diagnostics
Language comfortable speaking: English
- In the media:
- A mysterious virus is sickening people in China - Popular Science, Jan. 8, 2020
- Commentary: China's Coronavirus: How do we stop such deadly threats? - U.S. News & World Reports, Jan. 27, 2020
- Commentary: The Great Coronavirus Wall is Breached. Let's Now Prepare For Its Arrival - U.S. News & World Reports, Feb. 3, 2020
- How to see the next viral threat coming - The Hill, Feb. 10, 2020
- Coronavirus: why do 'recovered' patients test postive again? - South China Morning Post, March 3, 2020
- Will warm weather stop the spread of the coronavirus? - CBS News, March 5, 2020
- A dog has a 'low-level' coronavirus infection - Washington Post, March 5, 2020
- Asian Insider Podcast: Health expert Gary Gray on its rapid spread - The Straits Times, March 6, 2020
- How China's "Bat Woman" Hunted Down Viruses from SARS to the New Coronavirus - Scientific American, March 11, 2020
A vegan world wouldn't keep diseases like COVID-19 from infecting humans - Popular Science, March 31, 2020
- Duke Global Health Institute:
- What is Coronavirus? - Jan. 24, 2020
- 7 Duke Experts Answer Most Pressing Coronavirus Questions This Week - Feb. 12, 2020
Assistant Professor Danielle Anderson
Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme
Duke-NUS Medical School
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: Virus/host relationship of a diverse group of medically important viruses that includes Measles virus, Mumps virus and Nipah virus. Use of novel diagnostic platforms for the identification of new infectious viruses and other clinically relevant emerging infectious diseases, such as MERS and Zika virus.
Language comfortable speaking: English
- In the media:
- FAQ: Wuhan coronavirus and its outbreak - Channel News Asia, Feb. 1, 2020
- How to beat the coronavirus? Re-creating it in Singapore, Australia is vital first step - South China Morning Post, Feb. 3, 2020
- Singapore scientists culture coronavirus from patient - Biospectrum, Feb. 4, 2020
- COVID-19 test kit developed at Duke-NUS Medical School - Yahoo! News, Feb. 25, 2020
- Scientist speaks out about coronavirus origin: exclusive - NBC Nightly News, Feb. 27, 2020
- Singapore claims first use of antibody test to track coronavirus infections - Science, Feb. 27, 2020
- Going cold on hotpot: Virus-hit China curbs communal eating - Al Jazeera, March 5, 2020
- To start reopening shuttered nations, we need this blood test - National Geographic, April 16, 2020
- Duke-NUS Communications:
- COVID-19 Update - March 24, 2020
Professor Wang Linfa
Programme Director
Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme
Duke-NUS Medical School
Email: [email protected]
Areas of expertise prepared to comment on: He is an international leader in the field of emerging zoonotic viruses and virus-host interaction, specialising in bat-borne viruses. He is a member of the WHO SARS Scientific Research Advisory Committee, and played a key role in identification of bats as the natural host of SARS-like viruses. He has recently been invited to come on board WHO International Health Regulations Committee regarding the new coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.
Languages comfortable speaking: English, Mandarin
- In the media:
- Coronavirus in China Spreads by Human-To-Human Transmission - NPR, Jan. 21, 2020
- Coronavirus spreads faster than SARS, Says Professor Wang - Bloomberg, Jan. 31, 2020
- Health Check Podcast: Virologist Prof Wang Linfa offers hand hygiene tips to counter novel coronavirus threat - The Straits Times, Feb. 5, 2020
- Tracking the Coronavirus: How Crowded Asia Cities Tackled an Epedemic - New York Times, March 17, 2020
- Scientists glimpse sign of COVID-19 weakening - The Australian, March 18, 2020
- Everyone has part to play to flatten epidemic curve - The Straits Times, March 24, 2020
- Presence of a virus on surface does not necessarily mean it is infectious: Experts - The Straits Times, March 25, 2020
- Where Did This Coronavirus Originate? Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues in Bats - NPR, April 15, 2020
- Duke-NUS Communications:
- 7 Duke Experts Answer Most Pressing Coronavirus Questions This Week - Feb. 12, 2020
- What we've learned about the coronavirus - March 10, 2020
- COVID-19 Update - March 24, 2020
EXPERTS FOR MEDIA: A resource for journalists to find stories and sources
We chose topics that may be of interest to journalists and provide researchers from across Asia who can speak with the media. Visit our Experts for Media page for the complete list.