Rate My Professor Lance Jennings

Associate Professor Lance C. Jennings serves as Clinical Associate Professor and Virologist in the Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science at the University of Otago's Christchurch campus, part of the Faculty of Medicine within the Health Sciences Division. He holds the qualifications QSO, MSc, and PhD from the University of Otago. Affiliated with the University's Infection Group, Jennings has led significant research efforts focused on the evaluation and implementation of novel diagnostic tests, sentinel site surveillance for respiratory viruses, and pandemic preparedness planning, with a particular emphasis on influenza viruses. His contributions have advanced clinical virology in New Zealand, supporting public health responses to infectious diseases through collaborations in pathology and molecular medicine.

Jennings' academic career encompasses long-standing appointments at the University of Otago and Canterbury Health Laboratories, where he has influenced respiratory virus research and diagnostics. He has co-authored key publications including 'Rhinothermy delivered by nasal high flow therapy in the treatment of common cold: a randomised controlled trial' (BMJ Open, 2021), 'Randomized controlled trial of the effect of regular paracetamol on influenza infection' (Respirology, 2016), 'Association between meteorological variations and activities of influenza and dengue: a multi-region modelling analysis across the globe' (The Journal of Infection, 2020), 'Survey of Patients Admitted to Hospital with Laboratory Confirmed Influenza' (International Journal of Vaccines and Immunization, 2017), and 'Human Parechovirus: an Increasingly Recognized Cause of Sepsis-Like Illness in Young Infants' (Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2017). Recognized with the Queen's Service Order (QSO), his work underscores substantial impact in virology and infectious disease surveillance.