A special obituary published in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses honours the extraordinary life and career of Dr. Nancy Jane Cox (1948 to 2026), one of the world’s foremost influenza experts and a founding member of ISRV
Nancy Cox, founding figure of ISRV and pioneer in global influenza research. Image credit: CDC/James Gathany
Over a remarkable 38 year career at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Cox helped transform global influenza surveillance, vaccine development, and pandemic preparedness. Her leadership strengthened the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), advanced international collaboration, and played a key role in improving the global response to emerging influenza threats.
Dr. Cox also made an enduring contribution to ISRV. As a founding member of the Society, a founding Editor of Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, and a long standing contributor to the Options for the Control of Influenza conference series, she helped shape both the Society and the wider respiratory virus community.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Dr. Cox was widely respected as a mentor, collaborator, and trusted leader whose commitment to scientific excellence and public health inspired colleagues around the world. Her legacy continues through the global systems she helped build, the policies she influenced, and the countless scientists she mentored throughout her career.
The obituary, written by Joseph Bresee, Alan William Hampson, Wenqing Zhang, and Masato Tashiro, is available to read in full in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
