Wild Health: People, Nature & One Health

The health of humans, animals, and ecosystems are deeply connected. In the third event of the Wild Talks series, join us to learn how science is helping to protect communities, and show why caring for nature is essential to our own wellbeing.

Through a One Health lens, showcasing the interconnectedness of ecosystem, animal and human health, our panel of speakers will explore how scientific research and real-world action are helping to safeguard the future of our planet by recognising these vital connections. From protecting wildlife and preventing disease spillover, to building healthier ecosystems that support resilient societies, and understanding what animal systems can teach us about our own health and wellbeing, the presentations, panel discussions and Q&A at this event will highlight how caring for nature can allow both people and wildlife to thrive.

Dr Javier Sánchez Romano, Research Fellow in One Health, Institute of Zoology, ZSL

Javier Sánchez Romano is a veterinary virologist with extensive experience studying the links between wildlife, domestic animals, and human health. After training as a veterinarian in Spain, he completed an MSc and PhD in Infection Biology at UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. Javi has led and collaborated on projects across Europe and Africa focusing on how climate change shapes infectious disease dynamics, all frounded in a One Health approach, recognising the deep interconnections between environmental, animal, and human health. Now at ZSL, Javi works on major projects in Central Asia and the Western Congo Basin, integrating biodiversity conservation, zoonotic disease prevention, community collaboration, and real‑world impact.

Dr Alex Cagan, Assistant Professor, University of Cambridge

Alex Cagan is based at the Departments of Genetics, Pathology and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge and also at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. His lab focuses on developing and applying methods to study how the DNA inside the cells of organisms, including ourselves, changes as we age and how this process can be influenced by environmental factors. This relatively new field of somatic genomics has profound implications for our understanding of evolution and ageing. By applying these new genome sequencing technologies to the species that share our environment he aims to find new ways to monitor and understand how environmental exposures impact our health.

Cat Hickey, Head of Conservation Education, ZSL

As Head of Conservation Education at ZSL, Cat spends every day introducing children to widlife, and watching firsthand the transformative power of time spent learning while surrounded by nature, supporting better mental health, stronger immunity and deeper resilience. As well as advocating for young people's access to nature for wellbeing, education, and future connection to the natural world, Cat also works to remove barriers for under-represented audiences in developing careers across the conservation sector, and how we can better embed green skills for a more positive future for people and wildlife.

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