Dr Jake Dunning, Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list. The award recognises his services to clinical research, particularly his contributions to Ebola research efforts. Jake joined the Epidemic diseases Research Group Oxford (ERGO) in October 2014, as part of the RAPIDE trial team studying potential treatments for Ebola virus disease in West Africa. The trials, led by Prof Peter Horby, evaluated two candidate drugs at Ebola treatment centres in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Jake was the Field Lead for the trials, based in West Africa, and worked with over 40 researchers from 10 countries, including doctors and nurses from the affected countries.
Following completion of the trials in 2015, Jake moved to a new full time post as Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the National Infection Service, Public Health England. However, he continues to work with ERGO on preparedness and response activities for outbreak research. Additionally, Jake is the NHS England Deputy Programme Director for High Consequence Infectious Diseases, which includes diseases such as viral haemorrhagic fever, avian influenza, and pneumonic plague. He also practises clinical infectious diseases at the Royal Free Hospital, London. Along with other trial team members, Jake received a British Government Ebola Service Medal in 2015, and his international colleagues were recognised with the award of Oxford Ebola service medals.
On receiving his award, Jake said "I am very grateful to have received this honour, mindful that I was part of a brilliant and dedicated team. Without the extraordinary support of colleagues in the field and in Oxford, these unique and very challenging trials would not have happened. We are now applying the skills and lessons learned to improving outbreak preparedness, response and research activities for high consequence infections, both overseas and in the UK. I am indebted to Peter Horby and the Centre, for having provided me with such an amazing opportunity.”
The full story is available on the University of Oxford website