Global Health Oxford University

Identifying and addressing ethical issues are key to the success of any clinical trials, particularly when working with vulnerable populations. Dr Phaik Yeong Cheah leads the Department of Bioethics & Engagement at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Thailand. She is particularly interested in ethical issues in community engagement, data sharing, consent and assent in paediatric research. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

In settings with high level of poverty and over-stretched health services, researchers have even greater responsibilities to the communities and study participants. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL RESEARCH

A social scientist and public health researcher based in Kenya, Professor Vicki Marsh aims to understand and strenghten policies based on social and ethical aspects of international collaborations. Improving communications between researchers and the patients and local communities is not only ethically important; it can also lead to better research. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Economics and health are interlinked in many ways, as seen in the vicious cycle between poverty and ill health. Dr Yoel Lubell leads the economic team at the MORU Mathematical and Economic Modelling Group, based in Bangkok, Thailand. His research focuses on the evaluation of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases, with the aim of providing guidance on malaria elimination and control of artemisinin resistance in the Mekong region. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Dr Christiane Dolecek speaks about the research on enteric fever she conducted in Vietman and Nepal Dr Christiane Dolecek's clinical research focuses on tropical diseases, in particular enteric fever and malaria. She has led enteric fever clinical trials in Vietnam and Nepal with the aim to systematically assess the current WHO recommendations as well as new treatment options. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Dr Alexander Finlayson tells us how MedicineAfrica aims to bring healthcare professionals around the world in a global expert network. Disparity in healthcare between the developed and developing world is a major global health problem. MedicineAfrica, an online health facility, aims to connect doctors and healthcare professionals in Africa to clinical support teams around the world. Dr Alexamder Finlayson established MedicineAfrica in 2008, and is now working to develop this platform for future users, such as medical students, doctors and nurses, in other countries including Palestine and India. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Dr Jay Berkley tells us about his work on childhood nutrition and immunity in East Africa. Malnutrition is responsible for almost a third of childhood mortality worldwide. A better understanding of the bacteria in a child's gut will assist researchers in developing better treatment options. Dr Jay Berkley works in the KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Collaborative Research Programme in Kilifi, Kenya. His research interests include tackling the infection and inflammation of the gut to prevent mortality in malnourished children. He is also an expert advisor on severe acute malnutrition to the Ministries of Health, and the World Health Organisation. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/