Luis Felipe Reyes

Luis Felipe Reyes (IHTM 2021)

Scientific Leadership Programme Manager, The Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford
Senior Director Clinical Research and Development GSK (mRNA Influenza Vaccines)
Associate Professor Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia

Background

Felipe is a Critical Care doctor and before studying IHTM he was an Associate Professor at the Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia and also worked in intensive care. Felipe has a PhD in Translational Science and a keen interest in a variety of fields including pneumonia, invasive pneumococcal disease, vaccines, sepsis, and antibiotic resistance.

Following the MSc, Felipe combines his roles with GSK, the Pandemic Research Institute and the Universidad de La Sabana.

Why IHTM?

Felipe was looking to further his skillset and applied, and was awarded, an ISARIC Career Development Fellowship which incorporates the MSc in IHTM as part of the scholarship. Felipe was attracted to the international health training offered by IHTM which he felt would complement his existing scientific background and training.

During the MSc, Felipe’s research placement was with ISARIC in Oxford working on a study of cardiovascular complications during COVID-19. He says,

“The IHTM research placement and dissertation are perfect opportunities to put into practice the skills you are taught on the course.”

Impact

“IHTM taught me to see the bigger picture and to appreciate the views of a variety of stakeholders for whom each project will have different implications. From IHTM I gained the skills needed to navigate the negotiation process behind a research project. It taught me to listen, to ask opinions, and to work to align stakeholders and manage their expectations and priorities not only to carryout the project but to improve health in general."

Felipe uses his skills to design and conduct large multinational efficacy trials with multiple stakeholders including patients and corporates. He works to find the most appropriate trial design which, as far as possible, meets the needs of all those involved.

Felipe, in his role as a leadership manager, is also working on collaboration between the Pandemic Research Institute and the Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia to design a scientific leadership programme tailored to scientists in LMICs. Using the multinational ISARIC network, the project aims to gain the perspective of countries, particularly in Asia and South America, to produce a programme that would satisfy multinational and multicultural requirements.

The last word

“The multicultural experience was one of the many benefits of IHTM. It was an amazing year, the perfect environment to grow as a scientist and public health worker.”