Published: 27 March 2024
Dr Síle Molloy from St George's Institute for Infection and Immunity has been selected as one of 32 ‘emerging leaders’ to become a member of the UK Young Academy, a network for early career researchers and professionals established to help tackle local and global issues and promote meaningful change.
She will join the new cohort of members who come from a wide range of sectors and have each made significant contributions to their field. Dr Molloy's main area of research focuses on the conduct of clinical trials and implementation projects, aiming to improve access to essential medicines and outcomes for patients with cryptococcal disease and advanced HIV/AIDS in low-resource settings across Africa and Asia.
As a Senior Lecturer at St George’s, Dr Molloy co-leads the ‘Clinical Trials’ and ‘Global Health Diseases’ MSc modules.
Local and global policy discussions
The UK Young Academy will provide Dr Molloy with a forum to exchange ideas with the other Academy members, share expertise and participate in local and global policy discussions with the aim of tackling challenges based on areas that matter to them.
“I am excited for this opportunity to join the UK Young Academy, working with young academics, fellow members and other institutions to prioritise the challenges faced and affect positive change both nationally and internationally, while widening my current research focus.”
- Dr Síle Molloy, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology at St George's Institute for Infection and Immunity -
She added: “I am passionate about making a positive societal impact through my work and over the past decade have dedicated my research to reducing mortality related to HIV-related fungal infections in low resource settings. I have worked with a range of collaborators from around the world, and through a 'team science' approach, we have helped progress our field of research updating guidelines and helping to reduce the considerably high mortality seen in this patient group."
Developing the Academy's ambitions
Speaking on behalf of the UK Young Academy executive group, Alistair McConnell said: “We are delighted to welcome our new members to the UK Young Academy. It is such an exciting time to join the ranks. They will be able to help develop the young academy’s ambitions across areas they are passionate about, be it biodiversity loss, climate change or social inequality.
“We have just kicked off planning our major projects for the year ahead, so the new members will be able to get their teeth stuck in from the get-go. I look forward to meeting them, being inspired by their diversity of ideas, and working alongside them to create positive change for the benefit of all.”
Work programmes and initiatives led by members are already underway, with the aim to address The Young Academy’s strategic priorities set out in its first year. The first of The Young Academy’s major projects, to launch later this year, will be a programme to support researchers and professionals at risk, both in the UK and globally.
Dr Molloy will serve in the Academy for five years.
Learn more about Dr Síle Molloy’s research