05 June 2025
As part of the 2025 Pint of Science Festival, held from 18 to 20 May, researchers from the University of Kent took part in a public event titled “Good Bat, Bad Bat”, hosted at 12Degrees Micropub in Rochester.
Dr Simon Scott, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology, and Prof Nigel Temperton, Professor in Molecular Virology and Director of Research at the Medway School of Pharmacy, engaged attendees with a fascinating discussion on the dual role of bats in ecosystems and their association with emerging infectious diseases.
The session introduced the objectives of the OneBAT project, which investigates the transmission of viruses from bats to humans and domesticated animals. By combining expertise in virology, ecology, and data modelling, OneBAT aims to better understand the dynamics between host species, pathogens and the environment — knowledge that is crucial for preventing future pandemics, including the hypothetical Disease X.
Focusing on the endangered Miniopterus schreibersii bat species, OneBAT is developing transferable tools and insights that could be applied to a wider range of bat-borne viruses and species.
Photos from the event can be found below.
