Suresh Mahalingam BSc (Hons), PhD is a leading Australian virologist and international leader in viral inflammatory disease. His basic research has led to several major advances in our understanding of viral inflammatory disease and he has been active in translating these achievements. As a result of high-level research success, he has received numerous awards and fellowships. He obtained his PhD from the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University. He is currently Principal Research Leader and NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University. He is also the deputy director of the Queensland Tropical Heath Alliance and is on the International Advisory Board of European Union Emerging Infection. He previously served on the Biotechnology Advisory Board of the ACT government. Professor Mahalingam is passionate in promoting science to parliamentarians and public and actively fosters the career development of early career scientists.