Associate Professor Steven Rockman has over 40 years’ experience in diagnostic, research and pharmaceutical laboratories. For the past 21 years, he has worked at CSL and BioCSL, and now leads the technical development of Australian seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines at CSL Seqirus (and Q fever vaccines and antivenoms/antitoxins). Currently, he directs one of the five influenza reassorting laboratories in the world that develops candidate viruses for inclusion in the influenza vaccine and has published over 100 international peer reviewed papers. He has recently led an external innovation project alongside academics in Australia and globally to translate vaccine strategies into the clinic to combat SARS-COV2, demonstrated by the first-in-human study to compare an mRNA vaccine with a novel recombinant protein-based vaccine. Professor Rockman holds a PhD in Pathology (University of Melbourne), a Master of Science in Surgery (University of Melbourne), a Bachelor of Applied Science (RMIT), managerial qualifications (Deakin University), and holds an honouree position at the University of Melbourne in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Professor Rockman is considered an expert in both seasonal and pandemic influenza and leads cutting-edge technology in the advancement of vaccines and adjuvants to combat this disease. Further, he plays an active role in developing products of national significance for Australia, including anti-venom therapies and Q fever vaccines.