Invited Speakers

"Conservation Medicine to Planetary Health: Transdisciplinary pathways for integrating biodiversity conservation, health, and sustainable development"

Prof A. Alonso Aguirre, DVM, MS, PhD
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Virginia, USA

Dr A. Alonso Aguirre is Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, where he heads an academic and research program using the One Health/Planetary Health approach to understanding wildlife diseases and their links to human health. He also chairs the university Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. He served as the Executive Director of the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. He has worked for the past three decades in over 23 countries focusing on integrative research, transdisciplinarity, professional leadership training and capacity building. Dr Aguirre cofounded the discipline of Conservation Medicine under the tenet “health connects all species in the planet”, developing practical, sustainable and effective solutions understanding local socio-economic factors and a solid grasp of complex national and regional health and environmental policies. His research focus is on wildlife disease ecology, conservation medicine, ecohealth, and one health.
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"Down-to-earth and far-seeing thought to protect our globe"

Prof Koichi Murata, DVM, PhD
College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Japan

Graduated from the Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Miyazaki University in 1975. Zoo veterinarian at Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo from 1978 until 2001. Professor/non-tenured professor of College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University from 2001. Director of Yokohama Zoological Gardens "ZOORASIA" and Director of the Yokohama Breeding Center from 2010. Research and study on wildlife medicine, conservation breeding and reintroduction of the Oriental white stork. Administrator of Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA). Member of IUCN/SSC/Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, Chair of the IUCN/SSC/Wildlife Health Specialist Group for East Asia and the OIE/Working Group on Wildlife Health. Committee member for the Evaluation of the Enforcement Status of the Invasive Alien Species Act of Ministry of the Environment. Subcommittee member of the Environment Research and Technology Development. Past president of the Japanese Association of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.
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"Lessons from COVID-19: The need for One Health in pandemic preparedness and responses"

Prof Linfa Wang, PhD, FTSE
Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore

Prof Wang obtained his PhD from the University of California, Davis USA. His early research was at the Monash Centre for Molecular Biology and Medicine. In 1990, he joined the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) where he played a leading role in identifying bats as the natural host of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus. His research then extended from bat-borne viruses to bettering understanding virus-bat interaction. He holds a number of honorary positions and memberships and has received numerous awards such as the 2014 Eureka Prize for Research in Infectious Diseases. In 2010, Prof Wang was elected as a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in recognition of his expertise in new and emerging diseases. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Virology Journal. In 2018, Prof Wang was nominated to serve on the Global Viral Network (GVN) Leadership Committee leading the GVN’s southeast Asia’s node. Prof Wang currently serves on the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to discuss and provide his expertise for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. He is also involved in several international work groups on the development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics against COVID-19.
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"Zoological Medicine meets Covid-19: Selected thoughts and effects of Covid-19 on Conservation Medicine from the viewpoint of Hong Kong Ocean Park Veterinarians"

Dr Paolo Martelli, DVM, CertZooMed, ACCM
Ocean Park Corporation, Hong Kong

Dr Paolo Martelli is currently serving as the Director of Veterinary Services, Ocean Park Corporation, where he also served as the Chief Veterinarian from 2005 to 2014. He has also served as Chief Veterinarian and Director at Wildlife Reserves Singapore prior to Ocean Park. Dr Martelli is highly experienced, senior-level zoological veterinarian with extensive expertise in the medical and surgical treatment of marine and terrestrial mammals, reptiles, birds and fish, and the administration and management of zoo-based veterinary clinics and animal management operations. Highly regarded for knowledge and understanding of zoological medicine incl. zoonotic diseases, anesthesia, pharmacology, pest control, parasitology and nutrition. Also proficient with animal housing and transport, animal exhibition, zoo-based public education, and zoological conservation issues. Demonstrated management expertise in organizations such as Wildlife Reserves Singapore (The Singapore Zoo) and Ocean Park Corporation Hong Kong. Extensive wildlife rescue and rehabilitation experience through international and local collaborations. Passionate about mitigation efforts in human-wildlife conflicts. Uniquely experienced in recruiting, training and managing multi-cultural and multinational teams.
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