Alexander Popp appointed to the new Lancet Commission on Prevention of Viral Spillover

The Commission on “Prevention of Viral Spillover: reducing the risk of pandemics through primary prevention” was initiated by the science journal ‘The Lancet’ and the Coalition for Preventing Pandemics at the Source (PPATS). Pathogens that are transmitted, or spill over, between animals and people are the source of most emerging infectious diseases in humans. Contrary to secondary prevention, which has been in the spotlight during the Covid19 pandemic, primary pandemic prevention aims to limit viral spillovers from happening at all.

Alexander Popp, who is also Professor for Sustainable Land Use and Climate Protection at the Department of Ecological Agricultural Sciences at Kassel University, will be one of 28 Commissioners working to examine and provide guidance on policy, practice, research and law to address viral spillover threats and lessen the risk of future pandemics. The Commission will conduct original research and pull from the latest science and examples on the ground of how spillover prevention measures can merge with other considerations — such as food security, climate mitigation and biodiversity protection and regeneration — to help to prevent pandemics.

As Commissioner, Popp will place particular emphasis on the critical role that alterations in land-use can play in preventing viral spillovers and the interplay with climate and biodiversity protection. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the transmission of pathogens is amplified by various factors, including livestock management practices, wildlife hunting and trade, and modifications in land-use, such as deforestation or the intensification of agriculture. It is crucial to recognize that human-induced changes in land-use are a primary catalyst for the transfer of viruses from animals to humans.

In addition to his role as commissioner Alexander Popp is actively contributing to IPCC and IPBES, again with a focus of sustainable land use management. For years, he has been among the 1% most cited researchers worldwide according to the Web of Science citation index.