{"id":2912,"date":"2026-09-24T14:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/imperial-people\/?p=2912"},"modified":"2026-09-24T14:15:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:15:09","slug":"joyce-odeke-akello-protecting-communities-through-pandemic-preparedness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/imperial-people\/2026\/09\/24\/joyce-odeke-akello-protecting-communities-through-pandemic-preparedness\/","title":{"rendered":"Joyce Odeke Akello: Protecting communities through pandemic preparedness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Joyce<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is incredibly rewarding to know that the work we do in the laboratory can ultimately contribute to protecting communities.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dr Joyce Odeke Akello is a Research Fellow within the Vaccine Epidemiology Research Group (VERG)<\/a> in the School of Public Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She develops laboratory approaches for the detection of viruses with pandemic potential in wastewater and environmental samples. By improving surveillance capabilities, researchers can better monitor viruses as they circulate in communities, which helps countries to identify emerging threats early and respond more quickly.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI lead the development and validation of laboratory workflows, covering sample processing, virus concentration, molecular detection and sequencing \u2013 all of which support pandemic preparedness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is incredibly rewarding to know that the work we do in the laboratory can ultimately contribute to protecting communities and making a difference in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Innovation in infectious diseases<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Imperial has long-since been at the forefront of innovation in engineering biology, infectious diseases and epidemiology. Notably, it played a leading role in the response to COVID-19 and hosts world-leading research centres including the Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis<\/a> and the Jameel Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2025 Imperial launched the Wastewater Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention (WaSPP)<\/a>, a global network of researchers that launched in 2025 to establish best practice for wastewater surveillance of priority pathogens.<\/p>\n

Wastewater surveillance plays an important role in biosecurity because it acts as an early warning system to detect the spread of viruses, and a small sample of water can serve as a biological sample from tens to hundreds of thousands of people. Joyce and the team she works with use genetic sequencing to work out if what they detect is a new species, and whether it\u2019s a cause for concern.<\/p>\n

As a member of the network, Joyce works with partner laboratories in Africa and Southeast Asia to adapt and implement best practice approaches in different settings, including training and technical support.<\/p>\n

The WaSPP is one of the many initiatives Imperial representatives were keen to highlight as part of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026, which focused on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR). Imperial\u2019s President, Professor Hugh Brady, and a number of Imperial academics visited New York City to showcase Imperial\u2019s work in this area, including its Biosecurity Network of Excellence<\/a> which launched in June 2026.<\/p>\n

International collaboration <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Joyce is keen to further her connections with these networks and collaborate with researchers across different disciplines.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many opportunities to strengthen our collective approach to preparing for biological threats. We don\u2019t know what virus or pathogen will cause the next pandemic, so surveillance systems are vital to enabling us to detect viruses as they circulate in communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next challenge for us is developing systems that are sensitive, scalable and accessible, and enable countries across the world to identify emerging threats early and act quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am interested in how science, technology and international collaboration can come together to help us anticipate, rather than simply react to, the next pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Imperial as a place of impact <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Joyce began her career at Imperial in 2021 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate developing and improving methods for the direct detection and characterisation of polioviruses and non-polio enteroviruses in clinical and environmental samples. Before that, she was a Senior Scientist at the Integrated COVID-19 Hub North East where she supported the expansion of testing capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

For Joyce, Imperial provides the right type of environment to support her research interests.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favourite thing about working at Imperial is the opportunity to work alongside people who are asking ambitious questions and trying to solve real-world problems. I particularly value the collaborative and international environment, where expertise from different disciplines and countries can come together to turn research into something that can have a wider impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more <\/strong><\/h3>\n