We are delighted to announce that Abdirahman Abdi and Alice Norton have been awarded the Associate Professor title, in recognition of their research achievements, contribution to teaching, and contribution to the general work of the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
Work led by a NDM Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) and KEMRI-Wellcome team `Engaging stakeholders to build a Kenyan learning health system\u2019 was recognised as winner of the Vice-Chancellor\u2019s Research Engagement Award on Thursday 15 May where the team was represented by Professor Mike English.
On 13 May 2025, representatives from the University of Oxford and the Tak Provincial Public Health Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration on infectious disease prevention and control along the Thai\u2013Myanmar border. The agreement focuses on joint research into key diseases affecting the border population.
The MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (IHTM) at the University of Oxford has been shortlisted for two 2025 Vice-Chancellor\u2019s Awards, recognising the programme\u2019s outstanding contributions to education and student support across the University.
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) announced promising results from the VIETNARMS trial, a years-long multi-arm clinical trial conducted in Vietnam. The trial found that the readily available and affordable Hepatitis C treatment sofosbuvir/daclatasvir had a >95% cure rate. The results offer important insights into new treatment regimens for Hepatitis C, potentially reducing treatment durations and halving treatment costs.
From 28th April - 2nd May 2025 Mike English and Charles Vincent led the IQID course focusing on diagnosing healthcare delivery issues and designing interventions. The event brought together international health professionals who are developing or embarking on an intervention, service redesign, implementation or improvement project to develop practical strategies and plans.
The Harnessing Innovation in Global Health for Quality Care Exchange (The HIGH-Q Exchange) held a stakeholder meeting during the Kenya Paediatric Association conference between 8th and 11th April 2025, in Mombasa. The project shared key findings on how health systems can go beyond training and equipment to deliver high-quality newborn care. The meeting provided a platform for reflection on how to enhance the quality of neonatal care in Kenyan hospitals, focusing on the role of Ward Assistants in improving care delivery.
On the 25th and 26th April the MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine, IHTM, celebrated its tenth anniversary as an internationally renowned programme for future global health leaders, with over 100 alumni travelling from around the world to join colleagues, current students and guests in Oxford.
A major study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases confirms that single low-dose primaquine is safe and effective in reducing malaria transmission in young children. Analysing data from over 6,000 patients, researchers found it effective even in young children and areas with high malaria burden. The findings support expanding primaquine use to tackle drug-resistant malaria in Africa. A child-friendly formulation is urgently needed to maximise its impact on malaria elimination efforts worldwide.
The Health System Collaborative hosted a global meeting in Oxford from 24 to 26 March 2025 to launch the ROOTs Network, a programme addressing moral distress among frontline health research staff. Funded by Professor Sassy Molyneux\u2019s NIHR Professorship, the initiative aims to improve ethical research practices and system resilience. Participants from eight countries shared insights, discussed management interventions, and strengthened international partnerships, marking a key step in fostering mutual learning and research equity.
Years of groundwork have led Mahidol University Assistant Professor Dr Thitinan Kitisin to his first major step: leading an advanced vaccine research project in Thailand. With support from MODRA, he\u2019s now developing one of the first tonsil organoid models in the country, a small but important step toward improving how vaccines are tested. Along the way, he\u2019s also passing on practical research skills to the next generation of Thai scientists.
Professor Buddha Basnyat has received the NHRC Lifetime Achievement Award for Health Research in Nepal. The Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) recently conferred its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Health Research upon Professor Basnyat at the 11th National Summit of Health and Population Scientists. This honour recognises his exceptional contributions to medical research and public health over a career spanning more than five decades.
At OUCRU Nepal, microbiologist Sulochana Manandhar spent much of her early career at the lab bench, examining bacteria, fine-tuning methods, and chasing answers to scientific questions. Now, with support from the MODRA programme, she\u2019s leading her first hospital-based study, bringing new attention to neonatal health risks in Nepal.
On 27 March, members of the Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) team at the University of Oxford met with MORU colleagues and other engagement colleagues from the University. The session focused on sharing strategies for community engagement, evaluating engagement, and exploring opportunities for future collaboration.
The world is facing a shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030. World Health Worker Week calls for increased investment in all cadres of the health workforce - nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and others vital to resilient health systems. Health workers save lives, support economies, and advance development goals. Collaborative efforts, such as OUCRU\u2019s training programme in Dak Lak, Vietnam, demonstrate the benefits of investment, with increased vaccine uptake. Protecting, valuing, and training health workers strengthens global health.
Dr Duong Thi Hue Kien, a Post-doc Scientist at OUCRU, has shared her experience of finishing her PhD and kickstarting her career in science. She documents the highs and the lows, as well as how she was able to move forward in her career with support from the MORU\u2013OUCRU Discovery Research Academy.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has officially entered into a seven-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wellcome, a UK-based charitable foundation, and the University of Oxford. The \u00a391 million agreement was signed at the Wellcome headquarters in London, marking a significant boost for medical research and training in Kenya.
Ranking 11th globally in antibiotic use, Vietnam faces a serious risk of drug resistance, \u2018running out of treatment options due to antibiotic resistance\u2019.
OUCRU Ho Chi Minh City recently hosted a three-day Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training course. The course, organised by OUCRU and the UK\u2019s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, welcomed 25 participants selected for their potential to drive innovation across diverse organisations, including non-profit, for-profit, social profit, and governmental bodies.
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe form of tuberculosis with high mortality and long-term disability risks, especially in children aged 1\u20135. It accounts for 1\u20135% of TB cases. WHO recommends a new 6-month treatment alternative to the traditional 12-month regimen. OUCRU is conducting a trial to assess its effectiveness. The project also addresses post-treatment support through a community advisory board and co-designed resources, aiming to improve care and outcomes for TBM-affected children and their families.
In a recent study, researchers at the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya have discovered that a low-dose of the yellow fever vaccine is as effective as the current standard dose.
The GRAM Project welcomed public health leaders from 40 African organisations this month in Nairobi to address the growing threat of AMR. The AMR Data Analysis Workshop, organised by GRAM partners from Oxford and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), convened researchers and officials from ministries of health, and other academic and policy institutions, to discuss emerging trends and review key skills. The workshop was hosted by the Centre for Epidemiology and Modelling Analysis (CEMA) from 11-14 March, with support from the Wellcome Trust.
Healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers gathered in Bangkok 12-13 March for PBPK modelling in paediatrics, pregnancy and lactation, a major international workshop addressing a longstanding issue in medicine: ensuring safer and more effective drug treatments for pregnant or lactating women and children.
From 18-19 February 2025, a workshop focusing on the social, ethical, and engagement aspects of pandemic preparedness took place in Da Nang, Vietnam. Thirty-one participants from five Southeast Asian countries attended, representing health research, academia, policy, community engagement, and local community organisations.
OUCRU Ho Chi Minh recently concluded its annual three-day intensive care training program in Vietnam, made possible through the generous funding of Dragon Capital. Building upon the success of previous iterations, this year\u2019s training aims to equip Vietnamese healthcare professionals with the latest advancements in intensive care management, particularly for life-threatening infectious diseases.
On 24-26 Feb 2025, Paul Newton, Head of MORU\u2019s Medicine Quality Research Group (MQRG), and MQRG Deputy Head C\u00e9line Caillet presented work by the MQRG at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and WHO meeting, Strategic and Tactical Interventions to Address Medical Products-Related Crimes.
By 2050, Africa will host a majority of the world's student-age population, shaping global futures. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Oxford's Africa Oxford Initiative receive full scholarships, rigorous education, leadership training, entrepreneurship support and networking, preparing them to lead Africa's and the world's future challenges and opportunities.
A survey at Vietnam's National Hospital for Tropical Diseases found 60% of hepatitis C patients unaware of how they contracted the disease, often diagnosed late. Globally, viral hepatitis causes 3,500 daily deaths, ranking second among infectious killers after tuberculosis. Advances in treatment affordability and public health policies aim to improve outcomes. OUCRU's research explores cultural and psychological factors impacting diagnosis and care, supporting WHO's goal to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.
After more than a year of community engagement and preparation in 100 villages with 12,000 populations across the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the mass malaria vaccine (R21/Matrix M) and drug (DHA, piperaquine, and single low dose primaquine) administration study started on 15 Feb.
A team of researchers at OUCRU was recently awarded a multi-million-dollar Discovery Award from the Wellcome Trust to develop AI tools to advance pneumonia research.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed on February 11, serves as a reminder of the gender disparities that persist in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
The science field has largely been male-dominated from time immemorial and women in science are increasingly making their mark and breaking barriers through conducting and leading various ground-breaking research. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance in recognition of the critical role played by women and girls in science and the promotion of their full and equal access to participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. At KWTRP we celebrate, Dr Caroline Tigoi a dedicated scientist whose journey into microbiology and infectious disease research has not only advanced medical science but also inspired the next generation of women in STEM.
Researchers at the Medicine Quality Research Group, University of Oxford and collaborators, including the Serum Institute of India, have published an innovative method to identify falsified vaccines without opening the vaccine vial.
Professor Deirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at NDM\u2019s Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health and the Big Data Institute, looks at potential ways to advance research on the impact of climate change on malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
The University of Oxford has once again been named the top institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) Subject Rankings for Clinical, Pre-Clinical, and Health, marking an impressive 14th consecutive year in this prestigious position.
The Global Health Network has achieved a remarkable milestone: one million members worldwide. This dynamic and inclusive community of healthcare professionals and researchers is addressing two of the most pressing challenges in global health. By equipping teams to tackle everyday diseases of poverty and strengthening the ability to detect and respond to emerging threats, The Global Health Network is saving lives and safeguarding the future of global health.
In Myanmar, the United Nations reports that 3 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing civil war. The 2021 coup intensified conflicts and worsened the humanitarian crisis, forcing at least a hundred thousand to seek refuge and medical care in Thailand. The Tak province, a key crossing point between the two countries, sees a rising number of new migrants (with 40% of women) crossing the border every day. In response to this health emergency caused by these large-scale forced displacements, the SMRU and M-FUND projects have concentrated their efforts along the border area.
OUCRU Ha Noi and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases (NHTD), under the guidance of the Department of Health, are collaborating to establish local hospital networks for Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) across Vietnam. This initiative, connecting district hospitals with provincial hospitals, leverages existing systems and resources to enhance AMS implementation and strengthen efforts against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
High numbers of mental health issues in children and adolescents highlight the urgent need for a systematic approach to young people\u2019s mental health and the importance of developing support systems at home, in schools, and throughout society. OUCRU Collab Lab\u2018s mission is to make health science, including mental health, research more accessible and relatable to young people, and university students are their main target audience and stakeholders.
A team of scientists in the UK, Kenya and Tanzania will soon find out the extent to which chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease causing large outbreaks in Asia and South America, is also affecting countries in East Africa.
On November 22, 2024, the Zoonoses research group at OUCRU, in collaboration with Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, successfully organised a scientific workshop: \"Community-acquired pneumonia: Update on pneumococcal infection with vaccines, drug resistance and multiple infections\". The workshop attracted nearly 70 experts, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and technicians.
Xin Hui Chan has won the competitive 2024 Barnett Christie Lecture award of the British Infection Association. As part of the award, Dr Chan delivered a lecture entitled \u2018Drugs for Tropical Infections: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Infectious Disease Physician\u2019
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has signed a seven-year memorandum of agreement with the Wellcome Trust and the University of Oxford. Under this collaboration, Wellcome has awarded \u00a391 million (KES 15 billion) to support research over the next seven years. KEMRI have been collaborating with the Wellcome Trust and the University of Oxford on improving health through research for over 35 years.
A new study has found methaemoglobin levels during treatment for vivax malaria could be used to predict whether a patient would have recurrent malaria.
OUCRU researchers from Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam contributed to the newly published WHO research priorities for AMR. These top 40 priorities, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) with global collaborators, aim to guide research into drug-resistant infections over the next five years, with a special focus on challenges faced by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
![\"Abdirahman](\"https://www.tropicalmedicine.ox.ac.uk/news/researchers-awarded-associate-professorships/responsive_image?ratio=r16x9&scale=w760\")
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