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The Pandemic Institute has welcomed a visit from Dr Charles Huang, whose company Innova Medical Group provided the initial £10 million philanthropic donation that founded the Institute.
Launched in 2021, The Pandemic Institute (TPI) is a unique collaboration of academic, health and civic partners, whose mission is to tackle emerging infections and future pandemic threats.
Liverpool was chosen to be the home of TPI thanks to its unique ecosystem, hosting medical, veterinary, public health, tropical medicine and behavioural science schools and institutes.
During the visit, the team at TPI were proud to showcase just some of the developments the institute has achieved since it’s formation, including identifying and funding high priority research during the MPox outbreak, establishing a £5 million research partnership with Seqirus – a global leader in influenza – and more recently providing funding to employ key research or technical staff who will carry out a range of pandemic preparedness projects, and be ready to pivot to respond rapidly against any new threat that arises.
The Pandemic Institute also manages the UK Pandemic Sciences Network, which brings together the UK’s leading pandemic science research teams to support the delivery of the G7’s 100 Days Mission.
As part of his visit, Dr Huang joined TPI Director, Professor Tom Solomon, who was hosting a session on ‘preparing for future pandemics’ at The Royal Society Creating Connections event. He also joined members of the TPI team for a tour of some of the fantastic facilities Liverpool has to offer including the Digital Innovation Facility, the infectious diseases labs at University of Liverpool, the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the Accelerator Research Clinic at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Dr Huang is the founder and chairman of Pasaca Capital Inc., who own Innova Medical Group. In 2020 he founded the Charles Huang Foundation in 2020, looking for meaningful ways to give back to society and help others.
Dr Charles Huang said: “I’m delighted to visit my PhD mentor Professor Steven Young’s Alma mater – the University of Liverpool – and The Pandemic Institute, and hear about the Institute’s work and progress. Now with Innova Nanojet Technologies’ award winning and breakthrough product that can effectively and efficiently remove airborne viruses, pollens and pollutants, we are now in a position to continue to support the Institute, the University of Liverpool and the City of Liverpool to remain at the forefront of combatting pandemics”.
Professor Tom Solomon CBE, from the University of Liverpool’s Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences Institute, and Director of The Pandemic Institute said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Charles Huang to Liverpool and show him the progress we have made at The Pandemic Institute since 2021. The fact that Charles’ visit coincided with a meeting held by the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences – Creating Connections – on regional science and innovation was very timely, and it was a pleasure to introduce Charles to the Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.”
Learn more about the work of The Pandemic Institute and its founding partners in the new brochure and read about the work of Innova Medical Group.