Visit our exhibition: Malariaworld
17 April 2024
KWTRP MORU NDM-CGHR OUCRU Public Engagement
The Malariaworld exhibition has been developed for World Malaria Day 2024 to raise awareness of malaria and malaria research. We highlight some of the Nuffield Department of Medicine’s contributions to malaria research. Come and visit our exhibition at the John Radcliffe Academic Centre, 22-29 April 2024.
Dengue research in Vietnam
16 April 2024
The objectives of the dengue group over the last 20 years have been to improve the diagnosis and management of dengue and to facilitate and enhance disease prevention strategies at a local, regional and global level.
Geospatial modelling study highlights Indian regions with treatment-resistant malaria parasites
16 April 2024
An updated systematic search and review of published information from over 4,000 malaria samples has identified areas in central, eastern and north-eastern India where treatment-resistant malaria parasites could be more prevalent.
International Research Collaboration Confirms Novel Biomarker’s Accuracy for Predicting Preterm Births
12 April 2024
A recent study published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine has validated a novel biomarker that accurately predicts preterm births. The research represents an important advancement in the early detection and management of preterm labour risks, with potential implications for improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes in the Southeast Asian region.
Rapid diagnostic test offers cost-effective solutions for non-malarial febrile illness
10 April 2024
New research by the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, explores the potential benefits of a presumptive lateral flow rapid diagnostic test in managing acute non-malarial febrile illness (NMFI) patient care in rural areas of Southeast Asia.
Social cohesion among healthcare workers during COVID-19: Qualitative research in Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam
4 April 2024
OUCRU OUCRU-Indonesia OUCRU-Nepal
It has been well-documented that healthcare workers were significantly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. They faced increased risks, shortage of protective equipment, heavy workloads, and severe mental distress. However, most existing studies explored healthcare workers’ experiences at the individual level rather than examining the collective responses. Exploring these experiences can highlight the local culture and social influence during the pandemic and point out system limits during public health crises.
OUCRU celebrates World Health Worker Week 2024
3 April 2024
In the 1st week of April each year, the global community comes together to celebrate health workers, the backbone of the health industry and society. This year, the theme is #SafeSupportedHealthWorkers. The Frontline Health Workers Coalition and its partners are leading the effort. The goal is to unite advocates, health workers, leaders, and communities worldwide to call for investment, protection, and support for the health workforce. This is especially important in low—and middle-income countries.
Social workers, an essential workforce at hospitals
29 March 2024
Social workers play an important role in complex and fast-paced environments like hospitals. They support hospital staff, patients, and carers professionally, physically, and mentally.
New rapid melioidosis test could save lives
27 March 2024
A new test diagnoses patients with melioidosis within hours, rather than days, meaning they can receive the correct antibiotics faster.
Fostering Global Health Collaboration: Ho Chi Minh City Health Officials Embark on OUCRU-Led UK Visit
26 March 2024
OUCRU, in collaboration with KPMG Vietnam, recently led a delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health (DoH) on a visit to the United Kingdom. This visit is a part of a UK-funded strategic initiative to support the DoH in developing Ho Chi Minh City as a health innovation hub for Vietnam and the region.
OUCRU Researchers Join WHO in Updating Essential TB Diagnostic Handbook
25 March 2024
Members of OUCRU’s Tuberculosis group have contributed to the World Health Organization's latest edition of the tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic handbook. The "WHO operational handbook on tuberculosis" is an important resource for the rapid detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB).
Dr Vu Thi Lan Huong: A Leadership Journey in the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance
18 March 2024
Since obtaining her PhD from the University of Oxford in 2017, Dr Vu Thi Lan Huong has charted a transformative journey, rising to spearhead the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programme. Currently, as the Senior Research Fellow at OUCRU Ha Noi, she has dedicated her career to unravelling the complexities of this silent but deadly threat.
Children with acute malnutrition and malaria: the double burden that increases risk of treatment failure
13 March 2024
LOMWRU MOCRU MORU NDM-CGHR SMRU
An analysis of over 11,000 falciparum malaria individual patient data sets has found that acutely malnourished children have a higher risk of reinfections and treatment failures, even when treated with recommended doses of artemisinin-based combination therapies, currently the best malaria treatment available. The malaria parasite clearance was also likely to be longer in these children.
International Womens Day
12 March 2024
Green Templeton College proudly marked #InternationalWomensDay2024 by honouring fourteen exceptional women through a series of nine stunning portraits including two members of the Health Systems Collaborative (HSC).
OUCRU Welcomes Guy’s and St Thomas’ Clinicians to Enhance Critical Care Training in Vietnam
12 March 2024
OUCRU and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust have partnered to deliver a specialised training program in critical care medicine at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases (Ha Noi) and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (Ho Chi Minh City).
Embracing Vulnerabilities: Andy Musaffa’s Unconventional Path to Effective Leadership
7 March 2024
Bachtiar Andy Musaffa (Andy) stands at the intersection of data management and human leadership—a place where numbers meet the nuanced complexities of team dynamics. As the Senior Research Data Manager at OUCRU Indonesia, Andy is not only at the helm of organising critical clinical trial data and developing databases but also at the core of leading a diverse team through the highs and lows of intensive research environments.
OUCRU partner hospital receives Viet Nam medical achievement award
1 March 2024
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit’s host and partner in Ho Chi Minh City, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, was recently honoured with the Vietnam 2023 Medical Achievement Award at an event hosted by Voice of Ho Chi Minh City (VoH).
NEWRISK project awarded RIGHT 5 NHIR funding
27 February 2024
Awards & Appointments KWTRP NDM-CGHR
Led by Benjamin Tsofa and Jacob McKnight, the project named "A Novel Extreme Weather Risk Insurance System for Kenya (NEWRISK)” will focus on using the latest methods to provide focused data on extreme weather, population vulnerability, and health system capacity readiness across various climatic zones in Kenya.
Leading with grace: How Dr Suwarti’s thoughtful approach to leadership inspires growth at OUCRU Indonesia
27 February 2024
Dr Suwarti began her journey with OUCRU Indonesia in 2018 as an awardee of the OUCRU Young Scientist Fellowship programme, when she embarked on a research journey into leptospirosis, a neglected tropical disease. Her curiosity and commitment to improving health outcomes have seen her research interests expand to the molecular diagnostic of Tuberculosis, Covid-19, and HIV.
School Leavers Attachment Scheme
22 February 2024
KWTRP hosted 153 students for the Annual School Leavers Attachment Scheme (SLAS) Open Day. The SLAS open day targets top performing students in Kilifi to give them an opportunity to information from various stakeholders and scientists that would help them firm up or redefine their career aspirations. It is an opportunity to give the students information about the need to take science and health related careers with the focus on creating the next pool of researchers in Kenya, Africa and beyond.
New study uses isotope ratio mass spectrometry to analyse origins of falsified antimalarials
20 February 2024
New work from the Medicine Quality Group at IDDO and MORU pilots the use of stable isotope mass spectrometry to estimate where falsified antimalarials and their components come from. The study, published in Scientific Reports, is a collaboration between the Medicine Quality Research Group, LOMWRU, and MORU Bangkok, working with stable isotope scientists in Utah, USA.
12 Remarkable African Life Scientists– An inspirational book for young people
18 February 2024
Dr Tabitha Mwangi, a former KWTRP scientist now working in the UK, has written an inspirational book targeted at High school going children but also useful in shaping students already in university in shaping their career journeys.
Repurposed tests can detect falsified vaccines, study finds
16 February 2024
Researchers have found that widely available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), typically used for common infections, can be repurposed to detect substandard and falsified (SF) vaccines, a significant but overlooked issue in global public health. Preliminary data suggests RDTs could be utilized by international organizations and regulators to screen vaccine supply chains for falsified products. This innovative approach addresses the urgent need for affordable tools to combat the threat of SF vaccines.
GRAM study reveals rising antimicrobial resistance in enteric fever across 75 countries, affecting millions
15 February 2024
Findings reveal resistance patterns for a priority pathogen--also known as typhoid fever--with high mortality and morbidity in resource-constrained settings
OUCRU Researchers Develop Novel Diagnostic Tool for Adult Tuberculous Meningitis
8 February 2024
A team of researchers at OUCRU has pioneered a novel, microbiological assay-independent diagnostic model for Adult Tuberculous Meningitis (TBM), leveraging Bayesian latent class analysis to improve the accuracy of diagnoses. This innovative approach, recently published in BMC Infectious Diseases, promises to enhance the detection and treatment of one of the most severe forms of tuberculosis (TB).
Book chapter highlights issues of poor-quality medical products during the global pandemic
5 February 2024
MORU' and IDDO’s Medicine Quality Research Group (MQRG) have written a chapter in a new book which examines the global issue of substandard and falsified medical products.
New interim director for the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme
1 February 2024
It is a bittersweet moment for the KWTRP family as we make changes to our Leadership team. After 10 years of tremendous growth and change in the Programme, Professor Philip Bejon officially steps down as the KWTRP Programme Executive Director. Professor Edwine Barasa takes over as the Interim Executive Director.
Advancing lab analysis of simulated samples, crucial to developing forensic techniques, is focus of FORESFA Trentino workshop
23 January 2024
Conferences & meetings MORU NDM-CGHR
The FORESFA project's laboratory group met for a workshop in Trentino, Italy, with participants from Oxford, Edinburgh, London, and Vienna. The workshop focused on advancing the analysis of simulated samples, which are crucial to developing forensic techniques to analyse falsified medical products. Challenges in data integration, collaboration with external experts, and a workflow for the first pilot analysis of falsified samples were discussed.
Anomaly detection improves real-time dengue surveillance in Thailand
23 January 2024
A recent study by the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) at NDM outlined a highly effective method for dengue surveillance. The researchers improved risk detection in real time by combining space-time modelling and anomaly detection. This will help in making dengue prevention more effective not only in Thailand but also in other regions with similar challenges.
High dose oral favipiravir does not accelerate COVID-19 viral clearance, Oxford researchers find
19 January 2024
Giving high oral doses of the anti-influenza drug Favipiravir to adults with early symptomatic COVID-19 treatment did not accelerate viral clearance, say researchers in a study published in BMC Infectious Diseases. In fact, there was no difference in the rate of viral clearance between patients given favipiravir and patients receiving no study drug.
Jennifer van Nuil: Spearheading Social Science Research at OUCRU
16 January 2024
With a passion for making a tangible impact on global health, Dr Jennifer van Nuil has not only established herself as a leading scientist in her field but has also championed change and personal growth in her team.
Innovative Teledermatology Initiative Shows Success in Eastern Indonesia
15 January 2024
A teledermatology initiative by OUCRU Indonesia, in partnership with the Sumba Foundation and Gadjah Mada University, has made significant strides in transforming rural healthcare in Eastern Indonesia.
Neglected disease raises new ethical questions: Nipah virus control and research
10 January 2024
Although Nipah virus gets increasing attention in epidemic preparedness, there has been almost no bioethical work on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Further work on public health ethics should address communication about the modes of transmission, surveillance, measures during epidemics, and social or religious norms, as well as potential vaccine trials and the different local contexts where trials may occur, and the use of unproven therapeutics during outbreaks. Further bioethics work may help to ensure that research and public health interventions for Nipah virus disease are ethically acceptable and more likely to be effective.
Early warning systems for malaria outbreaks in Thailand
9 January 2024
In a recent study, NDM’s Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) researchers introduced an anomaly detection system, as an early warning mechanism for potential malaria outbreaks in countries like Thailand.
How scientists are helping plants get the most out of photosynthesis
8 January 2024
Photosynthesis is the starting point for almost every food chain, sustaining most life on Earth. But, not all plants have perfected the process. We now have the knowledge and the tools to maximise photosynthesis in a range of food crops. As climate change-driven weather such as drought and flooding is destroying crops and threatening crop yields around the world, this research is about making sure we can grow enough food to feed ourselves. Sebastian Fuller and Jonathan Menary tell us how in an article published in The Conversation.
Placing community health workers in remote areas key to eliminating Falciparum malaria in Myanmar and GMS
22 December 2023
Medical Action Myanmar successfully eliminated falciparum malaria in Eastern Myanmar within six years, employing 172 community health workers for early diagnosis and treatment. Their approach, integrating basic health services with malaria care, led to a rapid reduction in both falciparum and vivax malaria cases. This cost-effective strategy challenges traditional, labor-intensive methods, emphasizing the importance of community health workers in achieving malaria elimination in challenging, remote areas.
AMR linked to 1M deaths in Africa, according to GRAM study
20 December 2023
Findings suggest urgent need to address burden of drug-resistant infections across continent, one of the highest levels worldwide
Malaria chemoprevention after hospital discharge reduced mortality and sickness in children recovering from severe anaemia
19 December 2023
A systematic review and individual patient meta-analysis found that malaria chemoprevention after hospital discharge reduces deaths in children recovering from severe anaemia by 70%, and hospital readmission by 55%.
New MORU-led study to test a single pill to fight drug-resistant malaria in Africa and Asia
14 December 2023
To boost the fight against drug-resistant malaria parasites now emerging in Africa, researchers will study the safety and efficacy of a fixed-dose combination (FDC) containing three antimalarial drugs currently given to patients separately in a triple artemisinin-based combination therapy (TACT) cocktail.
1 in 4 malaria patients in Africa receive suboptimal dose of antimalarial drugs
11 December 2023
A new study estimates that nearly 1 in 4 people with P. falciparum malaria in Africa are at risk of receiving too low a dose of artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), increasing the chance of treatment failure and the risk that malarial parasites develop resistance to the drug they were exposed to.
A quarter of visceral leishmaniasis relapses missed in follow ups
7 December 2023
A meta-analysis of nearly 30,000 patients by the The Infectious Diseases Data Observatory researchers, suggests that a post-treatment follow-up duration of longer than 6-months may be needed to identify visceral leishmaniasis relapses.
Alan Bernstein meets with MSc students in International Health and Tropical Medicine
4 December 2023
Professor Alan Bernstein, Director of Global Health, met with students from the Nuffield Department of Medicine’s MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (IHTM).
The Global Health Network launch The 1000 Challenge
30 November 2023
The Global Health Network and Nursing Now Challenge launch The 1000 Challenge, a global research leadership initiative to enable health professionals to ask locally important questions to generate evidence. The initiative aims to change practice and management to improve patient management, care, or treatment in a commitment to advance Health for All.
Study reveals barriers to Hepatitis C care in Vietnam’s public healthcare
24 November 2023
A recent study led by OUCRU researchers highlighted the factors associated with the number of visits to one tertiary public hospital (Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City) that serves as the referral clinic for two-thirds of Vietnam for Hepatitis C virus treatment.
Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance: OUCRU's Fight Against the Silent Pandemic
23 November 2023
OUCRU are tackling the global health threat of Antimicrobial Resistance – a silent pandemic claiming millions of lives yearly. Learn about our collaborative research, our interventions in local hospitals, and our ongoing efforts to combat AMR.
Youth Against Antimicrobial Resistance: Empowering the Future
23 November 2023
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that jeopardizes our ability to effectively treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. To address this urgent issue, OUCRU has been implementing projects involving the youth and empowering young individuals to take action and make a difference.
Public Engagement Activities in Nepal to celebrate World AMR Awareness Week
22 November 2023
OUCRU OUCRU-Nepal Public Engagement
As part of the global efforts to raise awareness about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) during World AMR Awareness Week, OUCRU Nepal has been actively engaging in public outreach activities since 2016. These initiatives aim to educate and empower individuals to take action in preventing the spread of AMR and promote responsible antibiotic use in the country.
World AMR Awareness and Public Engagement at OUCRU
21 November 2023
At OUCRU, we are committed to raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance in the communities we work with. To fulfil our commitment, OUCRU’s Public and Community Engagement team has organised several activities and projects across our sites. The aim has been to educate and empower individuals to take action in preventing the spread of AMR by promoting responsible antibiotic use.
KWTRP Consultative Workshop on Data Access and Use for Public Health Planning and Decision-making
20 November 2023
The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) convened stakeholders for a follow-up session on data access and use for public health planning and decision-making. This forum focused on discussing pathways to implementing priority recommendations generated during the first consultative workshop.
Antimicrobial resistance is a silent killer that leads to 5 million deaths a year. Solutions must include the poor
19 November 2023
AMR has been linked to close to 5 million deaths annually. We need urgent global action to counter antimicrobial resistance, but current efforts focus on solutions developed in high-income settings. If we want people to become less dependent on antibiotics, we must address the factors that create dependency on antibiotics in the first place. The solution we are working towards is fair and inclusive; it respects people and their traditions while also benefiting human health, animal welfare and the natural environment.