Global Infectious Disease
Theme Leads: John Edmunds (LSHTM) & Julian Ma (SGUL)
This theme addresses the control of infection from a global perspective, exploiting our strengths in immunology, microbiology, diagnostics, clinical trials and global health and speaks directly to MRC strategic priorities in anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and vaccines as well as to the focus on epidemic preparedness.
Training in this area is underpinned by extensive, international research activity and strategic partnerships and will include training in developing biotechnologies, in vivo research, quantitative analysis, mathematical modelling, and health policy impact analysis. It will address UK and global health priority areas such as hospital-acquired infections, pneumococcal disease, human papilloma virus (HPV), HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, as well as emerging and zoonotic diseases such as dengue and Ebola.
LSHTM and SGUL have long been at the forefront of vaccine research, from the development of new vaccines and investigation of immunological correlates of protection to the conduct and analysis of clinical trials, evaluation of vaccination programmes, mathematical modelling of their impact, and economic analysis of policy options. Multidisciplinary working is facilitated by the LSHTM Vaccine Centre, with a current membership of 158 staff and students working on all aspects of vaccine research, and the SGUL Vaccine Institute, a specialist clinical trials research facility. Our students benefit from our partnerships with industry (e.g. GSK, Janssen), NGOs (GAVI, MVI/PATH, AERAS) and the public sector (e.g. PHE, the NHS, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Dept. of Health, WHO) in terms of collaborative research, professional placements and opportunities for translation of their research into products, policy and practice.
LSHTM and SGUL are applying the latest molecular, genomic and mapping technologies to understanding the emergence and spread of AMR; understanding host range and inter-species transmission; developing rapid diagnostics to inform optimal prescribing practice; and designing and developing new antimicrobials, including accessible manufacturing technologies for emerging economies. This work is facilitated by the Bloomsbury Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Statistics, the LSHTM Diagnostics Centre and the SGUL Centre for Diagnostics and Anti-microbial Resistance, including the Applied Diagnostics Research and Evaluation Unit.
Postgraduate courses available in this theme include Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Designing Disease Control Programmes, Research Design and Analysis, Pathogen Genomics, Vaccines & Vaccinology and the Immunity & Infection track of the SGUL MRes.