BSMS launches centre of excellence for global health
A new global health research centre launched on the University of Sussex campus this week is one of only five Wellcome Trust Centres in the UK.
Professor Melanie Newport, BSMS
The Wellcome Trust Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research was officially opened on Wednesday (29 January).
The centre is a partnership between Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) ; the Armauer Hansen Research Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; the Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, which is allied with the Faculty of Science at the University of Buea, Cameroon; and the Institute of Endemic Diseases at the University of Khartoum, Sudan.
It promotes interdisciplinary research and supports researchers working in public health and tropical medicine to develop their careers, and fosters interchange between institutions in the UK and Africa.
The centre will build capacity for independent research at the three African partner institutions and will specifically support research training in genomics and global health for two key groups:
- 'high-flying’ individuals with the potential to develop into world-class, independent scientific leaders, who will receive tailored support and mentorship to develop their scientific ideas and submit competitive funding proposals;
- and a broader group of academic staff and postgraduate students, helping to build academic research and teaching expertise.
Three speakers at Wednesday’s launch event focused on investing in research on global health:
- Professor Melanie Newport, Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research,
- Professor Jimmy Whitworth, Head of International Activities at the Wellcome Trust,
- and Professor Chris Whitty (who gave the keynote address), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department for International Development.
Professor Newport said: “BSMS has invested significantly in global health since its first day and our successful bid reflects how much has been achieved.
“Much of this success has stemmed from our multidisciplinary approach, working in close partnership with colleagues from a wide range of disciplines within BSMS and from both parent universities of Brighton and Sussex.
“BSMS is evolving as a centre of excellence in global health and will allow us to further develop our contribution towards improving the health of some of the world’s poorest people.”