South African infectious disease êpidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim will be taking on a new role as a member of the World Health Organisation’s science council. Comprising of 9 of the world’s leading health researchers and chaired by Nobel Laureate Dr Harold Varmus, the council was inaugurated on the 27th of April. Karim from KwaZulu-Natal says he’s looking forward to participating in the council, providing scientific advice to WHO on future developments in health that the world needs to be better prepared for. The scientific council met for the first time on Tuesday.