Professor Edward Holmes is a world-leading authority on viral evolution whose work has transformed his field. He has revealed the fundamental processes of microbial evolution, determined the origin and evolution of major human pathogens including influenza, dengue and the AIDS virus, and shown how genetic and epidemiological data can be combined to radically improve our understanding of disease evolution. Edward’s work has enabled more accurate assessments of what types of viruses, and from which animal species, are most likely to emerge in human populations, and how they will evolve in response to our attempts to control them.