Global Health and Biodiversity
The increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of new disease-causing agents means that infectious diseases are still a major cause of death and disability in both the UK and the developing world.
In addition, global increases in the prevalence and spread of infectious disease have demonstrated the role of the environment in driving epidemics in human and animal populations.
Impoverished tropical areas in particular continue to suffer substantial human and animal losses from infectious diseases such as malaria, rabies, sleeping sickness, and other parasitic infections, as well as viral infections such as polio, that have long been eradicated from developed countries.
Massive improvements in the control of malaria and other insect-borne diseases like Dengue fever have been attained in recent years, but these successes are being undermined by ecological and evolutionary responses of insects and their parasites that allow them to resist control. These problems are compounded by the rapid rates of environmental change such as temperature rises and deforestation that enhance the proliferation of insect vector populations and their contact with humans.
We are working on cutting edge research to tackle infectious disease, as well as capacity building, knowledge transfer and training in partner countries in some of the poorest regions of the world, where these problems have the greatest impacts on human and environmental health.
Combating infectious disease
Parasitic infections - our world leading researchers in malaria, sleeping sickness, leishmanaisis and other parasites are working to identify new approaches and solutions to control parasites and the diseases they cause.
We also have teams working to develop tools such as low-tech affordable diagnostics, surveillance tools and cost-effective vaccinations and our researchers are working hand-in-hand with several African institutions situated on the frontline of disease transmission to develop new environmentally-based strategies to control mosquito disease vectors and their ability to transmit disease.
Your gifts help us support both the fundamental science required to combat these disease as well as life-saving public health interventions and the training of researchers to develop tools and implement effective policies.
Explore our recent work
Viral infections are extremely common and effective drug therapy often limited. We are working on viruses such as polio, hepatitis C and herpes viruses to find new approaches and solutions.
Serious bacterial infections - our researchers are working to understand the extremely sophisticated methods bacteria utilise to establish infection and evade our defences.
Conserving biodiversity in a changing world
Our ecologists and veterinarians are working with local partners in the Amazon basin and sub-Saharan Africa to understand and monitor the health of wildlife populations and how human impacts in these populations can be reversed. Research focuses on restoring ecosystems so that they contribute to biodiversity conservation, sustainable economic development and ameliorating the effects of global climate change.
Support us
A gift to our work in Global Health and Biodiversity will have a direct and immediate impact on our ability to find new solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Your gifts will support:Make a Donation
- our researchers working to find new solutions to combating infectious disease
- the training and equipping of African and UK students working in partnership on Global Health and Biodiversity conservation
- life-saving public health interventions and the training of researchers to develop tools and implement effective policies in ecohealth
- the equipping of biodiversity monitoring teams and the training of the conservationists and researchers of the future through funding of scholarships and training courses for UK and overseas students
Gifts of £250 (£5.21 per month for four years) and over are recognised with a naming opportunity through our Gifted Scheme.