Janusz T. Pawęska is the head of the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasictic Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa. His fields of expertise are emerging and re-emerging zoonotic pathogens with contributions, including surveillance and pathogen discovery, pathogenesis, transmission, high and maximum biocontainments, capacity building, and public health. Significant research outputs include the development of diagnostics, epidemiology, ecology, and molecular biology of zoonotic viruses. He has been a part of international research expeditions and responses to highly formidable outbreaks (Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley fever). During a highly fatal outbreak in Johannesburg in 2008, he led the discovery of a new arenavirus, which he named Lujo virus. In 2014, he established an Ebola diagnostic mobile laboratory in Sierra Leone as a part of the international Ebola outbreak response in West Africa in 2014–2016. From 2001 to date, he has been managing the only suit biosafety level four facility in Africa.