Pathogens in Pop Culture: Jack Ryan, The Hot Zone, and Ebola

In episode two of the Pathogens in Pop Culture series, hosts Lauren Sauer and Rachel Lookadoo welcome guest Dr. Billy Fischer to discuss the portrayal of Ebola Virus Disease in the 2018 Jack Ryan TV series and Richard Preston's 1994 novel, The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story. Together, they will explore the science behind the virus, including its transmission, approaches to treatment and care, and the accuracy of its portrayal in the TV series and the book. Join us for an in-depth analysis of the science and myths surrounding Ebola in popular culture.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at info@netec.org.

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Guest

William A. Fischer II, MD

William A Fischer, II, MD, serves as an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He is a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine with expertise in severe emerging viral infections, clinical research, and international health. Dr Fischer graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital where he was an Assistant Chief of Service. Dr Fischer has extensive field experience providing medical care in resource limited settings and was deployed as a WHO critical care physician to care for Ebola-infected patients in Gueckedou, Guinea, the epicenter of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak, N'zerekore in response to a resurgence of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and the Democratic Republic of Congo for outbreaks in 2018 and 2019 where he helped launch the use of novel therapeutics and optimized supportive care. Dr Fischer has active research programs exploring the clinical complications of Ebola virus disease, the prevalence, pathogenesis, and persistence of Lassa Fever (PREPARE study), and serves as one of the principal investigators for an NIH study (PREVAIL IV) evaluating a novel antiviral compound for efficacy in reducing or eliminating Ebola virus shedding in male survivors of EVD. He also has research programs exploring respiratory viral infections in high-risk populations including the elderly and HIV-infected individuals. Dr Fischer serves as the Director of Emerging Pathogens for the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He is also a member of the WHO Epidemic Clinical Management Team, the WHO Antiviral Working Group, the WHO Personal Protective Equipment End-User's Advisory Council, the WHO Advisory Committee on Infection, Prevention, and Control, and was a member of the CDC Ebola Response Team.

Hosts

Lauren Sauer, MSc

Lauren is an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health, Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Core Faculty of the UNMC Global Center for Health Security. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and the director of the Special Pathogens Research Network.

She previously served as Director of Operations for the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness where she ran the inpatient COVID19 biobank and served on the COVID-19 research steering committee for JHU. Lauren’s research focuses on human subjects research in bio-emergencies and disasters, in particular, ethical implementation of research and navigating the regulatory environment. The goal of her research is to provide health care facilities with the tools needed to conduct a clinical and operational research response in emergencies.

Rachel Lookadoo, JD

Rachel Lookadoo is an Assistant Professor in the Epidemiology department of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and serves as the Deputy Director of the Center for Biosecurity, Biopreparedness, and Emerging Infectious Diseases. She also acts as the Director of Public Health Policy for the Water, Climate, and Health program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Ms. Lookadoo’s background is as an attorney, and she focuses on the various legal and regulatory issues that can arise in emergency preparedness and response. She specializes in public health impacts of climate change, healthcare surge events, isolation/quarantine law, crisis standards of care, infectious disease response, and general legal preparedness. Ms. Lookadoo also conducts emergency preparedness trainings and assessments for public health departments and healthcare facilities nationally. Ms. Lookadoo received her Juris Doctor degree from American University Washington College of Law, and her Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.

Resources

NETEC Ebola Resources: https://repository.netecweb.org/exhibits/show/ebola2021/ebola

NETEC Resource Library: https://repository.netecweb.org

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