Antonia Ho

Who Antonia Ho is

Antonia Ho is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR), and an Honorary Consultant at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire. She leads the Clinical Viral Epidemiology Group at the CVR, whose research focuses on the clinical epidemiology of influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and other respiratory viral infections in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Glasgow, completed an MSc in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and undertook a Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD Fellowship at the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme investigating the impact of HIV infection on influenza illness in Malawian adults. She co-developed the 4C Mortality Score for risk-stratifying hospitalised COVID-19 patients, a tool incorporated into national clinical policy. She is regularly quoted in UK press and by the Science Media Centre on influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and emerging respiratory pathogens.

References for this biography

1. 1.Professor Antonia Ho – School of Infection & Immunity, University of Glasgow — Current title, organisation, honorary consultant roles at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire, educational background, ORCID
2. 2.Antonia Ho – The Conversation — Research focus on clinical epidemiology of influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory viruses in UK and sub-Saharan Africa; leadership of Clinical Viral Epidemiology Group; current projects including RSV vaccine effectiveness
3. 3.UofG's Prof Antonia Ho awarded Fleming Prize by the Microbiology Society — Fleming Prize 2026 win; research specialisation in respiratory viral infections and emerging pathogens; educational background
4. 4.Dr Antonia Ho wins prestigious prize for outstanding COVID-19 research – University of Glasgow — Medical Research Foundation Emerging Leaders Prize 2021 (£100,000); COVID-19 research shaping national and international pandemic responses; 4C Mortality Score development
5. 5.The Medical Research Foundation Honours Dr Antonia Ho – CVR News — 4C mortality score development and clinical adoption; recruitment lead for major UK COVID-19 patient study (240,000+ patients)
6. 6.Expert reaction to the latest UKHSA National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report – Science Media Centre — Evidence of press engagement; quoted as Professor and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases, University of Glasgow, on influenza hospitalisations and NHS pressure
7. 7.MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research – Contact — Organisation head office address and postcode: Sir Michael Stoker Building, Garscube Campus, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH

Notable achievements

• Won the Microbiology Society Fleming Prize 2026, awarded for outstanding contributions to microbiology and infectious disease research. Source ↗
• Won the Medical Research Foundation Emerging Leaders Prize 2021, receiving £100,000, for ground-breaking COVID-19 research that shaped national and international pandemic responses. Source ↗
• Co-developed the 4C Mortality Score to predict risk of death in hospitalised COVID-19 patients, subsequently incorporated into national clinical policy. Source ↗
• Coordinated recruitment of Scottish patients to the ISARIC UK Clinical Characterisation Protocol (CCP-UK), with the CVR acting as Scotland's sample repository for full genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2. Source ↗

What Antonia Ho has said

• “Whenever there is an early start to the season, there tends to be a bigger peak. One reason is that fewer people have been vaccinated when they come into contact with the virus.”

  professor in infectious diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · UK hospitals bracing for once-in-a-decade flu surge this winter ↗

• “Although the highest case numbers are in those aged five to 14 and 15 to 44, the steepest rise in hospitalisation is in older age groups, aged over 75, who are most vulnerable to flu complications and poor outcome[s].”

  Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow's Centre for Virus Research and honorary consultant at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · ‘Beyond belief’ that resident doctors could strike amid flu crisis, says Starmer ↗

Recent social activity

• 🙋‍♀️😬

  x.com ↗

• What a magic 11 days! Never been prouder of Glasgow! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💪

  x.com ↗

Where Antonia Ho has been quoted

1. Patients with long-term conditions urged to ask GP about flu vaccine eligibilitypulsetoday.co.uk · 10 Sept 2026
2. UK hospitals bracing for once-in-a-decade flu surge this wintertheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
3. ‘Beyond belief’ that resident doctors could strike amid flu crisis, says Starmertheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026

Related media coverage

Recent UK press coverage of their topics — not necessarily citing them directly.

• Leaders in Care Awards 2026 | Lifetime Achievement: Care Homes winner revealedHome Care Insight
• GP architect of neighbourhood health reforms to leave NHS EnglandPulse Today
• An important step forward in ending corridor care - Colin Poolman | Blog | RCN ScotlandRoyal College of Nursing

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/infectionimmunity/staff/antoniaho
• Websitehttps://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/cvr/aboutus/people/researchgroups/hogroup/
• ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4866-2049published here ↗
• Xhttps://x.com/DrToniHo

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.