Sue Huang
About
Professor Sue Huang is a globally renowned expert in viruses, particularly influenza and polio viruses. Sue is known for her pivotal work in understanding the duration of the oral polio vaccine transmission which informed World Health Organization (WHO)’s global polio immunization policy after polio eradication. Sue is also Director of the World Health Organization National Influenza Centre and leads the Southern Hemisphere Influenza and Vaccine Effectiveness Research and Surveillance (SHIVERS) programme which focuses on influenza virus, immunity, and vaccines. These longitudinal innovative surveillance platforms have become essential national infrastructure and pandemic response capability. SHIVERS has contributed to national and international public health policies for vaccination and pandemic preparedness and response, including WHO’s framework for assessing influenza globally. SHIVERS has generated new knowledge in human immune response to influenza with implications for immune protection, predication, and vaccine development. With an outstanding h-index of 40, Sue’s research is informing critical global research and policy. In 2025, Sue was elected to the Academy of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. Fellowship recognises researchers, scholars, and innovators throughout Aotearoa New Zealand who have achieved excellence in their various disciplines across science, technology, and the humanities. Sue is highly regarded for her kindness and enthusiasm about science – whether she’s working with colleagues, media, or the community of volunteers proud to participate in her research.