Wolfson hosts sold-out Global Health Research Conference

Organised by Bonface Gichuki and Dr Majdi Osman of Wolfson College, the event ‘Global Health in a Changing World’ explored urgent and interconnected issues shaping global health today. Topics ranged from the double burden of disease and equitable access to technology, to climate change and the evolving landscape of global health funding. Two hundred attendees registered for the sold-out event.

The conference featured keynote addresses by Dr John-Arne Røttingen (CEO, Wellcome Trust) and Professor Sir Tumani Corrah (Founder, African Research Excellence Fund).

Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu (Wolfson College President) chaired the first keynote, which was followed by a fireside chat with Dr John-Arne Røttingen that touched on insights into reforming global health, from financing to research, in an era of rapid change. Ijeoma said, "The Global Health in a Changing World conference was an excellent and timely event for like minds to come together and recognise the scale of the change that the world is going through. The conference also allowed participants to understand that the change presents an opportunity for a new beginning in self-sufficiency when it comes to delivering healthcare research and providing health care in challenging settings. I cannot heap praise on the organisers enough for having the foresight and operational delivery capabilities to execute such a well-attended conference at Wolfson."

“At a time of shifting global funding priorities, the meeting was both a challenge and a renewal, reminding us that science must guide change, but real impact requires integration, persistence, and the courage to adapt.” – Cecilia Kyanya, PhD student at Wellcome Sanger Institute

Panel sessions were themed around the double burden of disease (chaired by Dr Jesse Rop) and the impact of AI on science and medicine (chaired by Dr Adrian Cazares). Speakers included Dr Flemming Konradsen (Chief Scientific Officer, Novo Nordisk Foundation), Professor Mike Kelly (Senior Visiting Fellow in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge), Dr Bilal Mateen (Chief AI Officer PATH), Professor Nick Thomson (Head of Parasites and Microbes Programme and Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Fellow of Wolfson College), Dr Jeremy Wohlwend (Co-founder, Boltz) and Dr Oumie Kuyateh (Sanger Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow, Wellcome Sanger Institute and Fellow of Wolfson College).

The day also featured three exceptional student flash talks: Promise Chimuanya Ugochukwu, Spatika Jayaram, and Maya Juman. Maya won the flash talk prize for her presentation on her PhD work on analysing ancient viruses from museum biospecimen archives to investigate new disease outbreaks.

“The conference brought together a diverse mix of people across disciplines and career stages, sparking some fascinating conversations at the intersection of research and policy. As an early career researcher pursuing a career in global health, these interdisciplinary events are invaluable for making connections in different fields and thinking through contemporary research and funding challenges from fresh angles.” – Maya Juman, PhD student at the Department of Veterinary Medicine

The closing session was chaired by former Wolfson President Professor Jane Clarke, and Professor Sir Tumani Corrah (Founder, African Research Excellence Fund) spoke on the compelling case for investing in the training of African scientists and cultivating an environment to nurture their development as leaders in addressing local health challenges. He spoke passionately about finding solutions within local contexts, especially for the countries of Africa, that continue to be poorly funded and lead to immense brain drain.

“It was an honour to participate in an amazing Global Health Conference organised by students of Wolfson College, Cambridge. Proceedings further strengthened my belief that with the emerging talent of students worldwide, the future of Global Health is bright." – Professor Sir Tumani Corrah

The conference was also funded by a grant from Postgraduate Education & Development at the University of Cambridge for Researcher-Led Events.

Find out more about the Wolfson College Research Networks