Funds for snail fever study

Dr Francisca Mutapi of the School of Biological Sciences has received a six-figure grant from the Thrasher Research Fund.

The award is for her work into the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever or bilharzia.

Common in tropical countries, this disease is a major public health problem in these regions.

Supporting paediatric medicine

The Thrasher Research Fund awards grants to research supporting paediatric medicine.

Dr Mutapi’s study looks at the immediate future health benefits for children in Zimbabwe who are given repeated treatment for the chronic illness.

This work is part of a long-running research programme ‘Understanding Bilharzia’, collaborating with colleagues in Zimbabwe.

Strong April for S&E

This grant was one of 29 awards made to the College of Science & Engineering during April, according to ERI’s latest set of monthly figures.

The College had a strong April, receiving an awards haul worth more than £9.7 million.

MRC funding

In the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, Dr Donald Davidson of the Centre for Inflammation Research received Medical Research Council funding worth more than £2.3 million.

Dr Davidson’s research seeks to enhance understanding of infectious and inflammatory processes in the lung and to inform treatments for infectious and inflammatory lung diseases.

HSS projects

Among the projects receiving grants from the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, was a study, by School of Education’s Dr Rowena Arshad, into attracting international students.

Language expert Professor Antonella Sorace also received six-figure funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.