Edinburgh Infectious Diseases
EID logo 2019

A look-back on 2019-20 in Edinburgh Infectious Diseases

As this incredible year draws to a close, we would like to share with you some of the highlights for Edinburgh Infectious Diseases over the past 18 months.

Message from the Director

The past year

The past nine months have seen huge global societal challenges and Edinburgh Infectious Diseases has adapted its activities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting the leading role that the EID community has played in tackling this extraordinary situation.

In particular, EID has taken an active role in helping to coordinate the Covid-19 research response, identify volunteers for diagnostic and vaccination studies, organization of regular workshop/webinars for sharing Covid-19 research findings, and communication of key Edinburgh research outputs globally. 

Alongside these new priority activities, we have continued to deliver on our ongoing commitments such as leadership and delivery of UoE PhD programmes, capacity building projects in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in LMIC countries through the Fleming Fund, and crucially, continuing to foster the community represented by our large network of 800 infectious disease researchers across the University of Edinburgh and partner organisations.

Looking forward

In 2021, we plan to have a strategic review of Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, its structure, funding and future role. In addition, we have just started a review of our AMR strategy (launched in 2017) led by Till Bachmann in his new role as AMR strategy lead.

The pandemic has had a huge impact on research into infectious diseases and funding priorities are currently being reevaluated across the major funding bodies. We believe that Edinburgh Infectious Diseases is well placed to build on recent successes and to harness the world-leading expertise that exists in Edinburgh to make the most of new opportunities for national and international impact.

We look forward with optimism to 2021, to an improved global public health environment, with new opportunities for the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases community to take the lead in addressing the ongoing and rapidly evolving challenge of infectious diseases.

With all best wishes for a restful Christmas holiday.

Professor Ross Fitzgerald

Annual Summary Report for 2019-20

A brief description of our activities over the past 18-months can be read in our Annual Summary report.

 

Activity highlights

Targeted response to the Covid-19 crisis

Award of £74M grant funding to Edinburgh Infectious Diseases members in 2019

Over 530 papers published by Edinburgh Infectious Diseases members in 2019, and over 350 in first 7 months of 2020

External funding of £10.9m from Wellcome Trust for Edinburgh Infectious Diseases-led PhD programmes and £1.2 M from Fleming Fund Fellowship Schemes in Uganda and Malawi

Development of One Health partnerships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School and Hainan University

Coordination of 6th World One Health Congress local and global organising committees, and major contribution to scientific content

Leading industrial engagement through BBSRC-Impact Accelerator Account award for Analysis of Market Opportunities for Industry-Academia partnering in Antimicrobial Resistance Diagnostics

Capacity building in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries for surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance through role as Host institution for Fleming Fund Fellowship schemes in Uganda and Malawi

Prof Till Bachmann appointed as Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy Lead, as part of review of Edinburgh AMR strategy

Delivery of postgraduate training programmes including the Wellcome Trust-funded PhD Programme in Hosts, Pathogens & Global Health and Programme with Integrated Study in One Health Models of Disease – Sciences, Ethics and Society

Development and delivery of the “Parasites:  Battle for Survival” exhibition highlighting Scottish research into neglected tropical diseases at the National Museum of Scotland

Ker Memorial Lectures by Professor Sharon Peacock (University of Cambridge) and Professor Ron Fouchier (Erasmus MC)

Related links

Covid-19 news on Edinburgh Infectious Diseases website

Reports and publications from Edinburgh Infectious Diseases

AMR research in Edinburgh

One Health in Edinburgh

Wellcome Trust PhD programmes in Hosts, Pathogens, and Global Health and One Health Models of Disease

Report on Annual Symposium in 2020

Fleming Fund

World One Health Congress

Parasites:  Battle for Survival