Nick Phin graduated from Glasgow University in medicine. After completing public health training worked as a Director of Public Health in England and Wales for a number of years. Joined the Health Protection Agency in 2002 as a Consultant in Communicable Disease Control to pursue an interest in respiratory diseases. Appointed to the epidemiology post at the Centre for Infection, London in 2007 with responsibility for acute respiratory infections, in particular seasonal, pandemic and avian influenza and Legionnaires’ disease. Consultant and country expert on influenza for the WHO and has been involved in a number of WHO pandemic influenza projects including the 2009 and 2013 revision of the WHO Global Plan. Appointed as a visiting professor to the University of Chester.