Richard J. Webby is the Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He graduated from the University of Otago and received his Ph.D. He is also a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Swine Influenza Expert and Influenza Advisory Committee, U.S. National Pork Board. In 2010, he was recognized with the Special Recognition Award “In honor of extraordinary work in H1N1 influenza research”, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. His research interests include influenza virus ecology, influenza vaccination, influenza virus pathogenicity, and determination of host susceptibility to influenza.