Tom Hughes
As Malaysian Project Coordinator, Tom Hughes's responsibilities include running the Zoonotic Emergence Network (ZEN) a collaborative research project with the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative and being the PREDICT country coordinator for the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats program.
Hughes began working with Wildlife Trust in June 2005 on the Nipah virus research project in Malaysia. By monitoring the population size and movement of Pteropus bats - the reservoir species for Nipah virus - and collecting biological samples, researchers were able to understand the virus, the vectors for transmission and how the initial spill over event occurred.
In 2007, Hughes took on the new role of coordinating the Zoonotic Emergence Network in Malaysia. This study of zoonotic infections among persons exposed to wild animals will improve our understanding of the health risks associated with bush-meat hunting and help to determine if close contact with wild animals results in the transfer of zoonotic diseases. The project is part of a global program to promote healthier hunting practices. Hughes's work involves collecting samples from wildlife and exposed humans.
This year, Hughes became the PREDICT Malaysia country coordinator for USAID's Emerging Pandemic Threats program. The aim for this research is to integrate wildlife disease surveillance into public health infrastructure, in order to create an early warning system for potential zoonotic disease spillover into domestic animals and humans. In Malaysia, Hughes will work closely with partners from the Ministry of Health, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the Department of Veterinary Services and local universities.
Hughes received his Bachelor of Science in Development Studies and Natural Resources from the University of East Anglia. He went on to train and work as a professional arborist, before taking on the role of Expedition Leader in 2004 on a collaborative conservation project with the Malaysian Wildlife Department. He has recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Hughes has also worked for Wildlife Trust in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Thailand and the Philippines and independently in Australia on a variety of conservation projects.
A member of the Henipavirus Ecology Research Group, his research interests include the ecology of zoonotic viruses such as Nipah virus and Ebola; zoonotic disease emergence at the human-animal interface; and species and habitat conservation. His work has been featured on The National Geographic Channel, BBC Newshour, and in several publications including The Boston Globe, Newsweek, The Daily Telegraph and The Journal of Applied Ecology.
