UofG’s Prof Antonia Ho awarded Fleming Prize by the Microbiology Society
Published: 19 November 2025
The Microbiology Society has announced that Antonia Ho, Professor and Honorary Consultant of Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR), has won this year’s Fleming Prize.
The Microbiology Society has announced that Antonia Ho, Professor and Honorary Consultant of Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR), has won this year’s Fleming Prize.
The prestigious prize will be awarded at the Society’s Annual Conference 2026 in Belfast next April, where Professor Ho will present her Prize Lecture, alongside other winners.
The Microbiology Society’s Prizes recognise excellence and are awarded to those making significant contributions in the field of microbiology, based on nominations received from across the membership. Winners are selected for their work to advance understanding of microbiology and champion the contribution made by microbiology, our members and their work in addressing global challenges.
Professor Ho leads the Clinical Viral Epidemiology Group at the University’s CVR, and her internationally recognised research specialises in respiratory viral infections and emerging pathogens, integrating clinical virology, epidemiology, genomics, and immunology to improve the understanding and management of acute respiratory infections in both high and low resource settings.
She gained her medical degree at the University of Glasgow and, during her specialty training in Infectious Diseases, undertook a Masters in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She then completed a Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD Fellowship through the University of Liverpool, UK and the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme in 2016, investigating the impact of HIV infection on the burden and severity of influenza illness in adults in Malawi.
Since joining the CVR in 2018, her research has expanded to incorporate CVR’s basic virology expertise, thereby bridging fundamental science and clinical application to address emerging virological challenges.
Her work during the COVID-19 pandemic shaped national and international responses. She co-developed the widely adopted 4C mortality score, now embedded in UK and WHO clinical guidelines, and led a longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 sero-surveillance study in Malawi, guiding vaccine prioritisation in resource-limited settings. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to COVID-19 research, she was awarded the MRF Emerging Leader Prize in 2021.
Professor Ho continues to play a pivotal role in national resilience to viral threats, holding significant collaborations and advisory roles within ISARIC UK, Public Health Scotland and the World Health Organisation. Her recent research uncovered the viral cause of a global outbreak of severe paediatric hepatitis, identifying co-infection with adenovirus and adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) in genetically susceptible children—a world-first discovery published in Nature and now influencing NHS testing protocols.
Additionally, she is deeply committed to mentoring early-career researchers, improving research culture, and engaging with the public—frequently appearing on radio and television as a trusted voice in infectious diseases.
Prof Ho said: “I am proud and deeply honoured to receive the Fleming Prize, particularly as Sir Alexander Fleming (a fellow Scot!) made one of the most important scientific discoveries of our lifetime. This award is not just for me; it’s a recognition of the incredible colleagues and collaborators I’ve had the privilege to work with over the past 13 years.
“I am also thankful for the opportunity to shine a light on clinician scientists. It’s a career path that demands flexibility and resilience, navigating between the demands of clinical and academic work. Our contributions are vital in tackling health challenges of national and global concern. I hope this encourages others to pursue and support this unique and worthwhile role in science and medicine.”
The Fleming Prize is named after Sir Alexander Fleming, founder and first President (1945–1947) of the Microbiology Society, then named the Society for General Microbiology, and is awarded to an early career researcher who has achieved an outstanding research record. The recipient is awarded £1,000.
The CVR is home to the UK’s largest critical mass of researchers who are entirely focused on the study of human viral diseases and viruses at the human-animal interface. Established in 2010 as a partnership between the University and the Medical Research Council (MRC), the CVR contributes to national virology capability and supports the global response to viruses and the diseases they cause.
Researchers at the CVR have made significant contributions to the study of multiple important viruses including influenza, dengue, mpox, herpes viruses, Zika, hepatitis viruses and SARS-CoV-2.
The CVR is also home to world-class facilities including state-of-the-art genomics, containment level 3 laboratories and cryo-EM microscopes.
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 19 November 2025