Professor Heather Zar

Heather Zar is Professor & Chair, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and Director of the SAMRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town. A global expert in childhood respiratory diseases, she’s built a strong clinical translational research program in some of the most deprived communities, with a strong focus on childhood pneumonia. She established an African birth cohort enabling study of the epidemiology, determinants and long term impact of early life exposures including pneumonia. She has participated in several studies of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention in infants. She chaired the WHO Technical Advisory committee on new RSV preventive interventions.

She is the past-President of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, of the Pan African Thoracic Society, and serves as an advisor to WHO, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation. She received the World Lung Health award from the American Thoracic Society, the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Laureate for Africa and Arabia, the SA-MRC Platinum medal for contributions over a lifetime, the European Respiratory Society Lifetime Achievement Award and the Barney Graham award for contributions on RSV. She is passionate about reducing global health inequities and ensuring access to effective interventions for all children.