Gary P. Kobinger

Gary P. Kobinger is a Canadian immunologist and virologist who is currently the director at the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas. He has held previous professorships at Université Laval, the University of Manitoba, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Biography Kobinger was born in Quebec City, Canada and did his undergraduate degree at Université Laval. He developed his passion for viruses after dropping out of medical school, planting trees for a year, then getting very ill during his travels in India.

The NML had been trying to get the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine into clinical trials for many years before it was eventually fast-tracked for immediate distribution in 2014, likely saving thousands of lives. The outbreak in 2014 reminded people that Ebola was both a regional and global threat to public health. Facing financial restrictions back at home, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, this new role will allow him to pursue his research with far fewer barriers. One of his current goals is to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine in the next handful of years.

Awards and Committees 2008-2014: WHO co-chair of the Emerging and Dangerous Pathogens Laboratory Global Network for Outbreak Response and Readiness 2015: Scientist of the Year Award (ICI Radio-Canada) 2015: Faculty Teaching Award (University of Manitoba) 2016: Meritorious Service Cross (civil division) of the Governor General of Canada 2017: Ernest C. Manning Principal Award 2018: Governor General’s Innovation Award 2020: WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards; expert in Viral Hemorrhagic Fever WHO Ad hoc advisor to the Strategic Advisory Group of Exports on Immunization (SAGE) committee WHO High Priority Pathogens committee Advisor to the WHO Deputy Director-General, Emergency Preparedness and Response