New study to support WHO guideline changes
2 October 2024
A new study which will help inform World Health Organization guidelines for treating children with Plasmodium vivax malaria has found that giving children higher doses of primaquine substantially reduced recurrences of malaria.
Youth Ambassadors Aim to Raise Tetanus Awareness Through Public and Community Engagement Activities
24 September 2024
OUCRU Youth Science Ambassadors (YSA) project, launched in 2021, has become a key youth engagement activities of OUCRU’s Public and Community Engagement Group. Becoming part of the project, young participants are empowered to lead, propose, plan, and execute their own initiatives addressing specific issues they identify themselves.
New Study Shows High Acceptability for Point-of-Care Testing to Improve Antibiotic Use in Vietnam
24 September 2024
OUCRU Hanoi’s new study has found high levels of acceptability for a point-of-care testing service to improve antibiotic dispensing for respiratory infections in Vietnamese pharmacies.
FORESFA collaborators meet for third annual project update
20 September 2024
Conferences & meetings MORU NDM-CGHR
Collaborators of a multi-country project aimed at better understanding the impact, origin and trade routes of falsified medical products gathered to share updates and make final year plans.
Improving survival rates of children with sickle cell disease in Kenya
19 September 2024
Research on sickle cell disease conducted by KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) at the Nuffield Department of Medicine shows significant progress in understanding how to improve survival rates and quality of life for those living with the condition.
Central Ho Chi Minh City identified as a hotspot for tuberculosis
18 September 2024
A recent study identified key factors contributing to the tuberculosis burden in Ho Chi Minh City, conducted by researchers from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam (OUCRU) and Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital.
Professor English hosts Workshop on Patient Safety in Low-Resource Hospitals
18 September 2024
Conferences & meetings NDM-CGHR
Last week Professor Mike English led a workshop at the Christ Church Research Centre focused on Patient Safety in Low-Resource Setting Hospitals. The event is part of a broader initiative aimed at developing practical solutions for improving patient safety in healthcare environments with limited resources.
Antibiotic resistance has claimed at least one million lives each year since 1990: GRAM
16 September 2024
Landmark GRAM Project study of global AMR burden over time forecasts a sharp rise in deaths, with 39 million lives lost between now and 2050
Hydroxychloroquine provides moderate COVID-19 prevention, large clinical trial shows
12 September 2024
KWTRP MORU OUCRU OUCRU-Indonesia OUCRU-Nepal
Four years after being derailed by scientific fraud and politicised science in the first year of the pandemic, COPCOV, the world’s largest COVID-19 chemoprevention study, finally published results today that showed that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) does have a moderate benefit in preventing COVID-19.
KWTRP exhibits at the Kenya National Research Festival 2024
12 September 2024
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) hosted an exhibition as part of the British High Commission Pavilion during the Kenya National Research Festival 2024. Under the theme “Research Partnerships and collaborations for Socio-Economic Transformation” the festival aimed to raise awareness about the diverse spectrum of research activities in Kenya and internationally encouraging collaboration.
Seven CTMGH researchers awarded full professorships
3 September 2024
Awards & Appointments KWTRP MORU NDM-CGHR OUCRU
We are delighted to announce that seven of our researchers have been awarded the title of Professor, in recognition of their research achievements, contribution to teaching, and contribution to the general work of the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
Scientists develop new method to detect fake vaccines
3 September 2024
A team from the University of Oxford and MORU have developed a first of its kind mass spectrometry method for vaccine authenticity screening using machine learning. The method repurposes clinical mass spectrometers already present in hospitals worldwide, making the approach feasible for global supply chain monitoring. The discovery offers an effective solution to the rise in substandard and counterfeit vaccines threatening public health.
Preventive vaccination could be a key strategy against Lassa fever
29 August 2024
Researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of Liverpool have for the first time been able to estimate the current burden of Lassa fever, project the impacts of a Lassa fever vaccination programme, and demonstrate how it may help avoid the next pandemic.
OUCRU and Universitas Indonesia complete historic malaria vaccine trial
19 August 2024
The Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia (FMUI) and OUCRU Indonesia have completed a phase 2 clinical trial for two new malaria vaccines developed by Sanaria Inc. This is the first malaria vaccine trial ever conducted in Indonesia and the first in the Asia-Pacific region in over 30 years.
Professor Déirdre Hollingsworth receives Simons Foundation Fellowship from the Isaac Newton Institute
9 August 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
Déirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, has been awarded a prestigious Simons Foundation Fellowship from the Isaac Newton Institute. This recognition supports her efforts in using mathematical modelling to improve global health outcomes. As part of this initiative, Déirdre is organizing a one-day event on August 13, 2024, focusing on pandemic preparedness. The event aims to address key policy questions through mathematical modelling, covering vaccine development, diagnostics and funding.
Professor Sassy Molyneux awarded five-year NIHR Global Health Research Professorship
2 August 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
Professor Sassy Molyneux has received a prestigious five-year NIHR Global Health Research Professorship to study how to better protect frontline staff in international health research from moral distress. This is one of only five to seven such `flagship’ professorships awarded by the NIHR each year to outstanding scientists.
How scientists are racing to understand the new Mpox strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
31 July 2024
A previously unknown strain of Mpox is spreading near DRC’s border with Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. GAVI Linda Geddes spoke to Leandre Murhula Masirika, Jean Claude Udahemuka and Trudie Lang who are working to understand and contain the virus.
OUCRU Indonesia Researcher Wins Best Poster Presentation at International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2024
31 July 2024
Awards & Appointments OUCRU OUCRU-Indonesia
OUCRU Indonesia scientist, Dr Edward Sutanto MPH, was awarded ‘Best Poster Presentation’ in the topic of Vaccine and Immunology at the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2024. Edward’s poster showcased a recently completed study on Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women in Indonesia.
Community Engagement and Involvement: Enhancing Research Impact
31 July 2024
At OUCRU, we have integrated public and community engagement projects into our research program since 2011. But what exactly is community engagement (and involvement), and why is it important to global health research? Let’s take a look at the summary of a new free course on MESH, a community engagement knowledge and professional support hub by The Global Health Network, and the research outputs made by and led by community members at OUCRU throughout the years to find out.
Visit MalariaWorld
24 July 2024
KWTRP MORU NDM-CGHR OUCRU Public Engagement
The Malariaworld exhibition was developed in conjunction with World Malaria Day 2024 to raise awareness of malaria and malaria research, and to highlight some of our contributions to malaria research. You can now visit our virtual exhibition!
Immediate policy changes urgently needed as drug-resistant malaria spreads in East Africa
18 July 2024
The efficacy of artemisinin derivatives, the cornerstone of current treatments for malaria, is being compromised in Africa where over 1,000 children are estimated to die each day from the disease. The spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites across East Africa and beyond could result in millions more deaths without immediate health policy changes, warn experts in a paper published in Science.
The MORU – OUCRU Discovery Research Academy Announces its First Cohort
18 July 2024
The MORU – OUCRU Discovery Research Academy (MODRA) is thrilled to announce the selection of its first cohort of the programme. The MORU – OUCRU Discovery Research Academy (MODRA), funded by Wellcome, is a collaborative initiative by the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) and the Madihol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) to nurture the next generation of scientific leaders in low- and middle-income (LMICs) countries of South Asia.
Community Voices Shaping TB Research in Vietnam
16 July 2024
A recent publication by OUCRU researchers, published in the journal Public Health Action, highlights the importance of community engagement in TB research.
GRAM, IDDO announce AMR data repository to strengthen research and improve access
10 July 2024
Oxford database provides a secure, and re-usable resource for AMR researchers worldwide, including those in low- and middle-income countries
Hospitals in Health Systems
9 July 2024
In this new report the World Bank invited Professor Mike English to explain how learning health systems approaches can improve hospital care. Professor English with Dr Mulenga-Willows and Ms Rosie Mazhar also contribute a chapter on the varied thinking and practice around what is a district hospital in low resource settings.
Review summarises heterogeneity in design and analysis of visceral leishmaniasis clinical trials
9 July 2024
A new systematic review, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, summarises the heterogeneity in design and analysis of clinical trials for visceral leishmaniasis – information which can potentially help improve future trial designs.
Study details major global impact of herpes infections
4 July 2024
Genital herpes infections and their related complications lead to billions of dollars in health care expenditures and productivity losses globally, say researchers who calculated the first-ever global estimates of the economic costs of these conditions.
KWTRP Annual Policy Engagement Forum
20 June 2024
The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) hosted its annual policy engagement forum in Nairobi. This year’s forum provided a valuable platform for deliberation between policy stakeholders and researchers, focusing on their research needs and policy priorities. The event is part of a larger consultative process towards the development of the KWTRP strategic plan.
OUCRU Hosts “Agent-based Modelling (ABM) with GAMA” Course: Potential Application in Health Sciences
18 June 2024
In June 2024, OUCRU organised a training course "Agent-based Modelling (ABM) with GAMA" in Ho Chi Minh City. Participants from multiple countries explored the practical application of ABM in health science through theoretical lectures, practical sections, and collaborative group projects.
NDM researchers honoured in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours List
17 June 2024
Awards & Appointments COMRU MORU
The King's Birthday Honours 2024 Lists have been published, marking the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK, including two researchers from the Nuffield Department of Medicine who have both been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Children’s Health in Cambodia and Thailand.
Existing interventions are effective in reducing antimicrobial resistance
16 June 2024
In a new study published in The Lancet, a team of international researchers has highlighted the urgent need for action to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.
Analysis provides evidence of research gaps on the risk-benefit of blood transfusion in Visceral Leishmaniasis patients
7 June 2024
A new review summarises existing evidence gaps regarding when blood transfusions should be carried out for visceral leishmaniasis patients. The review is published in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
OUCRU presented our community mobilisation efforts in One Health at the launch event of Media for One Health project
5 June 2024
On 20 May in Hanoi, Dr Mary Chambers and Associate Professor Sonia Lewycka presented on One Health activities at OUCRU, highlighting the essential role of public engagement and communication with various communities in raising awareness as well as how to integrate One Health approach and climate change into infectious diseases research.
Caesar Atuire appointed Bioethics President
4 June 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
Many congratulations to Dr Caesar Atuire who has been appointed President of the International Association of Bioethics.
CTMGH X takeover by IHTM starts 4 June
3 June 2024
Get ready! - the CTMGH X takeover begins on Tuesday 4 June and 8 IHTM students who are working around the world will be sharing their research placement experience.
OUCRU welcomed ASEAN Social Impact Program students for a Science Visit
31 May 2024
On 31st May, the Public and Community Engagement Group at OUCRU re-launched the Science Visit project. This event saw 25 enthusiastic students from Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, the Phillipines, and Cambodia. This student group is a part of the ASEAN Social Impact Program (ASIP), visit OUCRU. They joined a lab tour and participated in several group games centered around the clinical trials process.
Nurturing Future Generations’ Passion for Science through Engagement with Children and Teachers
30 May 2024
At OUCRU, we believe that science can excite and inspire children, contribute to their understanding of the world, and present opportunities for life skill development. The better children understand and appreciate science, the better-informed decisions they can make throughout their lives.
PLATCOV researchers find dramatic acceleration of SARS CoV2 viral clearance rates since Sept 2021
29 May 2024
Running continuously since Sept 2021, the PLATCOV trial has randomised over 1700 patients presenting with COVID19 infections. Work by PLATCOV’s Dr Phrutsamon Wongnak published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases has shown that rates of oropharyngeal viral clearance have accelerated dramatically since the trial started: A SARS CoV2 viral clearance half-life in untreated patients of around 16 hours In Sept 2021 had reduced to around 9 hours by Oct 2023. The results highlight the importance of pharmacometric platform trials like PLATCOV, so that we are prepared for the next pandemic.
The Value of Vaccines in Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance in Vietnam
29 May 2024
OUCRU Hanoi and its host, the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases (NHTD), recently organised a workshop entitled “The Value of Vaccines in Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance in Vietnam.”
OUCRU Successfully Hosts Viral Genomics and Bioinformatics Course
28 May 2024
OUCRU recently hosted an intensive week-long training event, the Viral Genomics and Bioinformatics course. This event was organised in collaboration with Wellcome Connecting Science, highlighting the ongoing commitment of both institutions to enhance global health research capacity, particularly in the field of infectious diseases.
IHTM students take over CTMGH’s X feed
28 May 2024
Our students are currently scattered across the globe with their IHTM research placements but we have been given a fantastic opportunity to catch up with a few of them through the Tropical Medicine and Global Health, CTMGH’s X (previously Twitter) feed.
FemTech Forward 2024: Transforming Women’s Health with Tech
24 May 2024
Conferences & meetings NDM-CGHR
The FemTech Forward Conference 2024 marked the first conference in this field in Oxford. Led by Christiane Hagel, DPhil Candidate in Clinical Medicine and President of the Oxford FemTech Society, the event gathered over 80 participants from diverse disciplines to explore advancements in women's health technology.
CGHR colleagues meet to discuss Modelling in Health Services
21 May 2024
Conferences & meetings NDM-CGHR
A workshop took place last week for the modellers from across disciplines in CGHR to enhance collaboration across statistics mathematical modelling and economics as well as medicine.
Associate Professors 2024
17 May 2024
Awards & Appointments KWTRP MORU NDM-CGHR OUCRU
We are pleased to announce that six of our researchers have been awarded the title Associate Professor
Improving pneumonia recovery in malnourished African children
17 May 2024
A project by the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) at NDM highlighted the importance of future trials focussing on high-risk, undernourished children and using feeds tailored to their metabolic needs.
The KEMIS Project at KWTRP
15 May 2024
Serosurveillance remains a valuable yet underutilized tool. Through the KEMIS project, KWTRP aim to demonstrate the value of multi-pathogen serosurveillance in Kenya.
HSC receives Vice-Chancellor’s Highly Commended Community Partnership Award 2024
14 May 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
Shobhana Nagraj and the project team were very proud to accept a Highly Commended Community Partnership Award from the Vice-Chancellor for their work on ‘Tackling childhood malnutrition in Oxfordshire: From grassroots to policy actions’. The award recognises colleagues who have partnered with others to make a positive difference locally, nationally or globally.
Africa Oxford Initiative wins the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution
14 May 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
The award for Outstanding Contribution acknowledges the Africa Oxford Initiative commitment to supporting the University’s mission. AfOx is dedicated to partnering with Universities across Africa, to increase educational opportunities for students from the continent, boost employment opportunities and support new partnerships.
NDM-CGHR Director announcement
7 May 2024
Awards & Appointments NDM-CGHR
Professor Susanna Dunachie has been appointed to the new role of Director of the NDM Centre for Global Health Research
Scoping review suggests that PKDL data platform is feasible
7 May 2024
A new systematic scoping review of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) studies found 56 studies published since 1973, with more than half of the studies dating from the last decade. Based on the relatively recent studies, which together include nearly 2,500 patients, the authors believe that the establishment of a PKDL data platform is feasible. The study is published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.