The University of Cape Town invites you to an inaugural lecture by Professor Wendy Burgers.

In defence of us all: Engineering immunity in the age of outbreaks

Professor Burgers’ lecture will explore how viruses have shaped not only our biology, but also our societies: crossing borders, disrupting lives, and exposing deep inequalities. Drawing on her career in viral immunology, she will reflect on the challenge of viral evolution and immune escape, the pivotal role of T cells in antiviral defence, and the extraordinary capacity of vaccines to harness the immune system for protection. She will consider what the immune system can teach us, not just about disease, but about being more responsive, adaptable, resilient and, above all, collaborative in the face of global health threats. 

This lecture traces the arc from fundamental discoveries in immunity to the collaborative platforms that enable vaccine development and pandemic preparedness, asking how science can help build a more equitable and more prepared world.

About our speaker

Professor Wendy Burgers is a professor of Virology in the Department of Pathology at UCT and Deputy Director of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM). She obtained her PhD from the University of Cambridge, is a Fellow of UCT, and was awarded the South African Medical Research Council Silver Medal in 2024. She has served on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Vaccines (Department of Health) and is currently a member of the GMO Advisory Committee of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

Professor Burgers’ research focuses on the immune response to viruses. She founded and leads the Cellular Immunology Platform at UCT, a hub for vaccine evaluation, clinical research, and capacity development. Her work bridges basic and translational science, spanning clinical immunology and vaccine development in collaboration with local biotechnology partners Afrigen and Biovac.

Her research has been published in leading scientific journals including Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, and The Lancet, and she serves on the Editorial Board of Vaccine. A passionate mentor and educator, she has supervised and supported students across disciplines and is deeply committed to training the next generation of African scientists, particularly Black women, in biomedical research. She teaches infectious disease immunology at undergraduate level and continues to play a leading role in developing South Africa’s vaccine and pandemic preparedness ecosystem.

Date: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Time: 18:00 SAST
Venue: New Learning Centre Lecture Theatre,
Anatomy Building,
Faculty of Health Sciences Campus,
Observatory

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