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Professor Shindo is a Medical Officer and since 2012, has been leading the Influenza and Respiratory Disease Team of Pandemic and Epidemic Disease Department at the World Health Organization in Geneva.

Her background is in medicine, infectious disease and public health and she completed her medical training at St Thomas’ Hospital, Radcliffe Infirmary and Jikei University Hospital.

She was awarded her Ph.D in Medical Science (microbiology and cell immunology) at Jikei University School of Medicine followed by specialist training in infectious disease/public health at the Infectious Disease Surveillance Centre, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) in Tokyo, which is one of five WHO Influenza Collaborating Centres.

Since 2002, she has worked with WHO and has been involved in activities such as epidemic intelligence and verification, outbreak responses and influenza pandemic preparedness. She participated in major WHO responses including SARS, avian influenza, Indian Ocean Tsunami, the deadly viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Africa, and more recently, the 2009 influenza pandemic.

Her area of responsibility also extends to cover WHO Public Health Research Agenda for Influenza, assessment of influenza disease impact and influenza pandemic preparedness.  

In addition, she works with clinical aspects of influenza virus infection including use of antiviral medicine. During emergencies, she serves as one of the operational staffs of WHO's Strategic Health Operations Centre and deals with severe acute respiratory disease and avian influenza outbreaks of international public health concern. She and her team also combat against highly contagious and dangerous pathogens in the field to control any outbreak.

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