Ilaria Capua, DVM, PhD, is Senior Fellow of Global Health, Johns Hopkins University – SAIS Europe, Courtesy Professor and Director Emeritus of the One Health Center of Excellence at the University of Florida in the US. 

She is a virologist and former Italian parliamentarian (2013-2016) known worldwide for her studies in the field of animal-to-human transmissible viral infections and their pandemic potential. In 2006, in the face of the pandemic threat caused by the avian influenza virus, she chose to share the virus’ genetic data on open-access, open source digital platforms. This decision helped redefine the policy of international organisations on the transparency of virus genetic data, optimising strategies to address global threats such as pandemics.

In 2007, she was named one of the 50 best scientists in the world by Scientific American and in 2008 she was included among the ‘Revolutionary Minds’ by the American magazine Seed for her leadership role in science politics.