Alimuddin Zumla

Sir Alimuddin Zumla (born 15 May 1955) is a British-Zambian professor of infectious diseases and international health at University College London Medical School, and a Consultant Infectious Diseases physician at UCLHospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. He specialises in infectious and tropical diseases, clinical immunology, and internal medicine, with a special interest in HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections (including COVID-19 and Tuberculosis), pathogens with epidemic potential and diseases of poverty. He was awarded a Knighthood in the 2017 Queens Birthday Honours list for services to public health and protection from infectious disease. In 2012, he was awarded Zambia's highest civilian honour, the Order of the Grand Commander of Distinguished services - First Division. In 2024, for the seventh consecutive year, Zumla was recognised by Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science as one of the world's top 1% most cited researchers. In 2021 Sir Zumla was elected as Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences. In 2024, he was elected Member of the prestigious Academy of Europe (Academia Europaea).

Early life Alimuddin "Ali" Zumla was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Chipata, Eastern Province, Zambia). His parents Ismail and Aman Zumla were of Gujarati Indian origin. He resided in the Kamwala district of Lusaka. He did his early education at the Lotus Primary School and Prince Philip Secondary School (now Kamwala Secondary School) in Lusaka, and his medical training at the University of Zambia's School of Medicine. As a teenager, he declined a Rhodes Scholarship in order to pursue medical training in Zambia.

In 1980, Zumla moved to London to pursue an MSc in tropical medicine at the University of London. He went on to pursue doctoral studies on leprosy human monoclonal antibodies at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where his 1987 dissertation (advised by Keith McAdam) merited him the Alan Woodruff Medal.

Career Zumla spent a year at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine gaining the MSc degree in Clinical Tropical Diseases with a distinction and the Murgratroyd Prize. He subsequently worked at The Royal Northern and Royal Free Hospitals under the mentorship of David Geraint James obtaining his Membership of The Royal College of Physicians of London.

After doing a PhD between 1985 and 1987, Zumla worked as infectious diseases registrar and at the Rush Green Regional Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Romford under Ming Yong and Mervyn Medlock. Whilst working at Rush Green Hospital, he identified and notified the first cases of the 1988 Legionnaires' Diseases outbreak which he traced back to Broadcasting House, BBC, central London.

Zumla subsequently spent four years in a senior registrar/honorary lecturer position at the Hammersmith Hospital, Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London under Sir Robert Lechler, and then two years at the University of Texas Center for Infectious Diseases working with Herbert DuPont. He then returned to his native Zambia to work on AIDS-related opportunistic infections at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka before moving to University College London in 1994. Such counts are used in monitoring AIDS patients taking antiretroviral drug treatments; Zumla's subsequent work has led to development and evaluation of a range of rapid, cheap and more accessible diagnostic tests for TB and respiratory infections for use on patients in developing countries.

Zumla was the guest editor of the Lancet TB Series which addressed key issues around TB treatment and diagnosis. The launch was held at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva on 18 May 2010. , Zumla is the director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health at University College London Medical School, as well as a consultant in infectious diseases at University College Hospital. His research interests include tuberculosis (particularly drug clinical trials, biomarkers, MDR-TB and TB in London), HIV/AIDS, tropical diseases, respiratory infections (and rapid diagnostics thereof), endocarditis, biomarkers, and transrenal DNA.

Zumla's work focuses on improving global health, especially for disadvantaged populations, with an emphasis on assisting poorer and disadvantaged peoples of the world. He established and directs a multi-country collaboration with several African, Middle Eastern, European and United States institutions on collaborative research and training program on TB and HIV/AIDS. Several of his doctoral students now occupy academic positions in institutions in Africa.

In 2014, together with colleagues from Public Health England, World Health Organization, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the Middle East, Zumla co-led The Lancet series on Mass Gatherings Medicine which was launched at the World Health Assembly of Ministers of Health in Geneva. This was a Series of reports about different mass gatherings: the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; the 2012 European Football Championship finals, hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine; and the 2012 and 2013 Hajj. These reports set out the planning and surveillance systems used to monitor public health risks, and describe the public health experiences and lessons learnt for the planning of future events. In 2024 a study published in The Lancet co-led by Sir Zumla and Dr Brian McCloskey of Chatham House –involving an international group of public health experts from the UK, Japan, Switzerland and the US outlines how mass gathering events can be held safely even in the context of an infectious disease pandemic.

Zumla played a lead role in defining the etiology, epidemiology, virology, pathogenesis, mode of transmission, diagnosis, management and infection control measures of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. His publications have emphasised the importance of development of new therapeutics and vaccines.

Zumla has served on numerous international advisory groups. He was Member of Court of Governors of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2007–2014), under the directorship of Sir Andrew Haines. He was vice president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2003–2005). He served as Vice Chair of the Strategic Advisory Group to the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership(2014–2016)

On 7 April 2015, at an inaugural meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, Zumla and Markus Maeurer from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden led and established a new initiative, the Host-Directed Therapies Network (HDT-NET) consortium of 64 global partners to tackle global infectious diseases threats of multi-drug resistant TB and antimicrobial resistance.

In 2020, Zumla was cited as a leading expert on the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021 Zumla was elected as Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences whose principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in developing countries. On 12 October 2022, the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene awarded Zumla the Sir Patrick Manson Medal, their highest mark of distinction. Zumla is the first ethnic minority recipient of this award since its conception in 1923.

In 2024, together with colleagues from UK-Health security Agency, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WHO and other global ONE-HEALTH investigators, Zumla co-led The Lancet Series on One Health and Global Health Security. This was a four-paper series exploring the adoption of One Health approaches to improve health security and include an analysis of the current landscape of preventive, surveillance, and response measures in outbreak situations of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious diseases with epidemic potential, antimicrobial resistance, environmental and chemical hazards and natural disasters. On November 26 Zumla was awarded the Long Service Lifetime Achievement award by the UCLHospitals NHS Fiundation Trust.

Windrush Award for Academic Achievement African Caribbean Achievement Project The awards recognise talent and achievement in the African Caribbean, Asian and Oriental communities.

Ibn Sina Award for Medicine The Muslim News Awards for Excellence Professional of the year for medicine.

Science Award UK India International Foundation for outstanding achievements in science by a professional with origins in India.

Spinoza Leerstoel award University of Amsterdam for "Outstanding research & capacity development achievements in the global fight against TB and TB/HIV/AIDS"

Annual Science Prize Karolinska Institutet For outstanding outputs in global health and infectious diseases

Grand Commander of the Order of Distinguished Services First Division Republic of Zambia The highest Zambian civilian award. Bestowed on Zumla on the 48th anniversary of Zambia's Independence (October 2012) by then Zambian president Michael Sata for his outstanding contributions to infectious diseases research in sub-Saharan Africa, development of Zambia's health sector, and training of numerous health personnel.

Honorary doctorate Karolinska Institutet To individuals for their important scientific achievements or significant contributions to the university or humanity at large.

European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership prize European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Won by a research consortium led by Zumla. Presented by Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

Senior investigator award National Institute for Health and Care Research NIHR Senior Investigators are 'among the most prominent and prestigious researchers' and the most outstanding leaders within the NIHR Faculty. Senior Investigators are appointed from NIHR Investigators through annual competitions informed by the advice of an international panel of experts.

Annual global list of influential researchers Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science World's top 1% most cited researchers.

Dr Pascoal Mocumbi prize EU-EDCTP Awarded to senior scientists, policy-makers or advocates for health and research

Annual global list of influential researchers Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science World's top 1% most cited researchers.

Annual global list of influential researchers Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science World's top 1% most cited researchers.

Annual global list of influential researchers Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science World's top 1% most cited researchers. Quotes

Selected works Zumla has authored more than 700 publications and edited/published 21 medical textbooks, three of which are globally acknowledged classics: Manson's Tropical Diseases 21st and 22nd editions, Tuberculosis: A Comprehensive Clinical Reference which involves 156 global TB experts writing 104 chapters on all aspects of paediatric and adult TB, and Granulomatous Disorders co-edited with D. G. James.

Books Zumla Alimuddin and Abubakar Ibrahim (Senior Editors). Editors: Miriam Orcutt, Clare Shortall, Sarah Walpole, Aula Abbara, Sylvia Garry, Rita Issa (2022). CLINICAL HANDBOOK OF REFUGEE HEALTH (2021) . Nov, 2021 CRC Press Taylor and Francis Stefan HE Kaufmann, Eric Rubin, and Alimuddin Zumla. PERSPECTIVES IN MEDICINE (2015) Publisher: Cold Spring Harbour Press, USA. Zumla Alimuddin and Hui David. (2019). EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Hardcover eBook . Elsevier Saunders, New York.

Zumla Alimuddin and Keiser Jennifer (Editors). TROPICAL DISEASES (2012) Publishers: Elsevier Saunders publishers, New York. . Zumla Alimuddin, Yew WWing-Wai and Hui David (2011). EMERGING RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. (2011). Publishers: Elsevier Saunders publishers, New York. . Zumla Alimuddin, and Schaaf Simon. Clinics in Chest Medicine. TUBERCULOSIS. (2011). . Publisher: Elsevier publishers, London, New York.

Gandy Matthew and Zumla Alimuddin. (2003). THE RETURN OF THE WHITE PLAGUE: GLOBAL POVERTY AND THE NEW TUBERCULOSIS. Publishers: Verso Books, London: (20 chapters with 49 international authors). Cook GC and Zumla A. Editors: (2003) MANSON'S TROPICAL DISEASES, 21st edition. Harcourt Brace Saunders Publishing Group, London . James D Geraint and Zumla Alimuddin. (1999) GRANULOMATOUS DISORDERS Publishers: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. (1999).

Journal papers

Bibliographic databases

Search Results for author Zumla on PubMed.