Dr Kumudika (Kumi) de Silva is a senior immunologist developing vaccines for livestock and advocating for cultural diversity in higher education leadership.
Listen using the audio player above or by accessing the podcast from your preferred podcast platform such as iTunes or Stitcher.
Kumi shares thoughts on the need to fund the development of vaccines other than the mRNA vaccines that have become prominent during the Covid pandemic. Kumi is currently working on an oral vaccine delivery system (through food or water) and is developing vaccines to be stable at room temperature without a need for cold chain management (keeping vaccines frozen or refrigerated).
You’ll also hear Kumi patiently describe some of the immune system’s mechanisms for detecting pathogens in the digestive system and how this relates to vaccination methods.
As a Chair of the Mosaic Network at the University of Sydney, Kumi promotes cultural diversity and inclusion and you’ll hear her perspective on some of the barriers to advancement for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women in academia.
A version of this conversation was first broadcast on the radio by 2SER 107.3FM