Marine viruses: lubricants of the great engines of planetary control

A Zoom talk presented by Willie Wilson – Professor of Marine Virology; Director of the MBA Plymouth.

Professor Willie Wilson is a Marine Virologist specialising in algal viruses. He has over 30 years’ research experience focusing on the multiple roles of marine viruses, which he describes as “lubricants of the great engines of planetary control”. You find 10-million viruses in a teaspoon of seawater wherever you go in the ocean, they are impacting biology on a global scale. However, rather than a doom-sayer after a 2–3 year viral pandemic, Willie will try to convince you that viruses are a benefit to the health of the ocean, and the planet more widely.

Educated at the universities of Bangor and Warwick, Willie moved to Plymouth in 1998 as a Research Fellow. In 2007 he relocated to Maine, USA, to become Director of the National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA), returning to Plymouth in 2014 as Head of Science at PML. Shortly afterwards he was appointed Director of the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS), home of the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey (since 1931). He facilitated the merger of SAHFOS with the Marine Biological Association in 2018 and became MBA Director.

Please book with the organiser (details below) by a day before the event. You will be sent a link to access the Zoom session.

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