We are pleased to announce the appointment of Hanna Nohynek, MD, PhD, as Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Co-Lead, following the retirement of Steve Black. Steve Black’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping a culture of rigorous, independent safety oversight.
We extend our sincere thanks for his many years of service and lasting contributions to vaccine safety and public health.
As we look ahead, we are honored to welcome Hanna Nohynek into this leadership role.
She has played a central role in global immunization decision-making, serving 2023-2025 as Chair of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and previously as Chair of the WHO SAGE Working Group on COVID-19 Vaccines during the pandemic. For more than a decade, she also served as Secretary of Finland’s National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).
A global leader in vaccinology and vaccine safety
Prof. Nohynek is internationally recognized for her expertise in vaccinology, vaccine safety, and evidence-based immunization policy. She currently serves as Chief Physician in the Department of Public Health at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and was awarded the title of Professor by the President of Finland in 2024.
Deep experience across vaccine research, policy, and safety monitoring
Prof. Nohynek’s career bridges clinical research and public health practice. Early in her career, she coordinated multiple Phase II vaccine trials and a landmark Phase III pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial in the Philippines. Since then, her work has focused on vaccine programme design, safety evaluation, effectiveness, and public acceptance across a wide range of vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza, COVID-19, RSV, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, and avian influenza.
She is currently the principal investigator for several immunogenicity and safety studies in Finland, including research on repeated influenza vaccination among healthcare workers and COVID-19 and avian influenza vaccines. Her scientific contributions include more than 220 peer-reviewed publications, many of which have shaped international standards for vaccine safety surveillance and effectiveness evaluation.
Beyond research, prof. Nohynek has made substantial contributions to capacity building and training, including teaching in international vaccinology programs and mentoring MSc and PhD students. She also serves on the boards of international health organizations and as an invited expert to major research funding bodies.
Strengthening DSMB leadership
Prof. Nohynek’s appointment as DSMB Co-Lead reflects our continued commitment to independent, scientifically rigorous safety oversight. Her breadth of experience—spanning clinical trials, national and global policy, and real-world vaccine safety monitoring—will be invaluable as our work continues to evolve in an increasingly complex vaccine landscape.
We are grateful for the foundation laid by Steve Black and look forward to working with Hanna Nohynek as we advance high-quality, transparent safety monitoring in support of global immunization efforts.
