Research Conference Pandemics: Keynote by Professor Dr Sir Jeremy James Farrar (Wellcome Trust)
Channel: DFG bewegt
Date: 18/11/2021

In his keynote speech at the  "Research Conference Pandemics: Preparedness for
Future Pandemics from a Global Perspective" on November 15, 2021, hosted by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), Professor Dr. Sir Jeremy James Farrar (Director Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest health research foundations) talks about what research is needed to better prepare science and society for global crises such as epidemics and pandemics, but also climate, energy, food and much more. Farrar emphasized that science during a pandemic situation depends on existing infrastructures as well as on partnerships and trust: "You rely so much on what you have before the crisis! If you are trying to build any partnerships and collaboration in the midst of a crisis, you will either fail or you will be too slow to make a difference. What you have before a crisis in human capacity, infrastructure, scientific endeavour, trust, will largely determine your ability to respond in a very fast, dynamic crisis - which is likely to be the sorts of problems we will face in the 21st century", he said. Farrar added that science cannot wait until a pandemic to start building trust or providing policy advice. 

Please note that even though the notifications say that it is possible to pose questions, this was only possible during the live event.

More information about the conference: https://www.dfg.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2021/pressemitteilung_nr_46

Zum Bericht im DFG-Magazin: https://www.dfg.de/dfg_magazin/aus_gremien_politikberatung/211115_pandemiekonferenz/