A desire to improve public health has guided every step of my academic and professional journey. I began in biomedical research, driven by a hope to discover solutions for infectious diseases. This journey led me from Peru to France and then Singapore, where I earned a PhD focused on diagnostics and vaccine development for tropical diseases. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted my perspective. Despite rapid scientific advances, stark inequalities in vaccine access -felt acutely between Singapore and my home country- exposed the limits of science when it operates in isolation from policy and governance.

This realisation sparked my transition from laboratory research into health policy, now pursued through an MPhil in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge. I believe that addressing global health challenges requires not only scientific excellence but also cross-disciplinary collaboration and inclusive debate. The Hong Kong Laureate Forum offers a rare platform to connect emerging researchers with thought leaders across fields. I am eager to participate in these conversations, share my experience at the science–policy interface, and learn from others who are equally committed to using science as a lever for global health equity.

A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Singapore

Population Health Sciences Partnership, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Letter-of-support-Anthony-Torres-Ruesta.pdf

My current research explores the intersection of biomedical innovation, global health policy, and equitable access to health technologies. With a background in infectious disease research (including work on malaria, SARS-CoV-2, and Mpox) I’ve grown increasingly focused on how scientific breakthroughs translate into public health impact, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed firsthand how access to vaccines and diagnostics was shaped not only by science, but by intellectual property frameworks, international trade policies, and geopolitical dynamics. Currently, through my MPhil in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge, I am examining how intellectual property and technology transfer mechanisms can be restructured to better support equitable health outcomes globally. I am especially interested in identifying policy tools that bridge the gap between innovation and access, and in leveraging intellectual property not as a barrier, but as a catalyst for health equity.