Page 38 - Eclipse - Autumn 2021
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Dirk Pfeiffer granted
Lifetime Achievement Award
Health and Welfare Panel of the
European Food Safety Authority, which
introduced him to the complexity of
conducting interdisciplinary science
and engaging effectively with policy
makers. In 2015 and 2016, he also had
a part-time role as Chief Epidemiologist
of the UK Government’s Animal and
Plant Health Agency (APHA).
Under his leadership, the Veterinary
Epidemiology, Economics and Public
Health (VEEPH) Group at the RVC
developed a global profile, which
led to its status as a United Nations
FAO Reference Centre for Veterinary
Epidemiology in 2012 and in 2019
to becoming a designated OIE
Collaborating Centre in Risk Analysis &
Modelling jointly with the APHA.
Professor Pfeiffer said: “I am grateful
for the support that I received at the
he Association for Veterinary some of which included wild animal RVC, which allowed me to set up the
Epidemiology and Preventive reservoir species, such as bovine globally recognised VEEPH group, and
Medicine in North America tuberculosis, African swine fever I am particularly pleased that the group
Thas awarded Professor Dirk and avian influenza. These activities continues to prosper without myself
Pfeiffer the 2021 Calvin W. Schwabe were conducted in many different low-, having had any management role since
Award for his lifetime achievement middle- and high-income countries November 2016. I want to emphasize
in veterinary epidemiology and around the world. that receiving this award has only
preventive medicine. been possible due to the collaboration
Professor Pfeiffer co-led the MSc with many professional colleagues in
Professor Pfeiffer’s career involved in Veterinary Epidemiology that the academia, government and industry all
11 years as a PhD student and RVC has been running jointly with over the world, but most importantly
academic at Massey University in the London School of Hygiene and through the commitment of the
New Zealand, followed by now, 22 Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) from its postgraduate students and researchers
years at the RVC as Professor of inception in 2000 until 2016. Together that have worked with me in the past
Veterinary Epidemiology. The last five with other colleagues from the RVC, 30 years.”
years of this period were as a part- Professor Pfeiffer has also taught the
time appointment, since he took on China Field Epidemiology Training
a position as Chow Tak Fung Chair Programme for Veterinarians since
Professor of One Health at the newly 2010. His postgraduate MSc and PhD
established veterinary school at City students are working in academia and
University of Hong Kong in 2016. He government in many countries around
also has an Adjunct Professorship the world.
at the China Animal Health and The translation of science into policy
Epidemiology Centre.
has become a particular emphasis
During his career as a researcher, of Professor Pfeiffer’s work, and
spanning over the past 30 years, in that context, he gained a lot of
he has published over 300 peer- experience from working with UK’s
reviewed scientific publications, as Defra, the European Commission, the
well as several textbooks and technical United Nation’s Food and Agriculture
guidelines. The research of Professor Organisation (FAO) and the World
Pfeiffer has involved several infectious Organisation of Animal Health (OIE).
animal diseases of global significance, He served six years on the Animal
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