The Centre for Global Health, part of the Institute for Infection and Immunity at St George’s, University of London, works with national and international partners to improve the prevention, treatment and control of infectious diseases in resource-poor settings. Our objectives are:
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Basic understanding: to investigate the biology of infectious organisms and host responses, to identify potential targets for drug and vaccine development.
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Intervention development: to develop new therapies, vaccines and diagnostics, and innovative technological platforms.
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Clinical trials: to carry out phase I, II and III trials of novel drug treatments, with national and international partners.
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Influencing policy and practice: to work with policymakers and other stakeholders to identify knowledge gaps, to promote the implementation of proven interventions, and to advocate for greater prioritisation of our diseases of interest.
Our goal is to develop, evaluate and enable the wide use of novel drug therapies and other interventions for infectious diseases affecting low- and middle-income countries.
The challenges
We have particular strengths in key diseases affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including tuberculosis (TB), cryptococcal meningitis (an important opportunistic infection in people with HIV), malaria and Buruli ulcer (an ulcerative skin condition prevalent in West Africa).
We are also actively involved in projects targeting other important infections affecting LMICs, including HIV, sexually-transmitted infections, dengue, Ebola, chikungunya, drug-resistant bacterial infections, paediatric bacterial infections and parasitic worm infections.
Our partners
Much of our work is carried out in the context of international collaborations. Our centre in Ecuador provides us with a long-standing presence in South America and has facilitated multiple regional collaborations. We also have extensive links with centres throughout Africa and Asia.
As well as providing a platform for research and trials, these connections enable us to make a significant contribution to training and capacity-building. The Centre for Global Health is a coordinating centre for major international networks, including:
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the International Consortium for Trials of Chemotherapeutic Agents in Tuberculosis (INTERTB), a global network of sites evaluating novel treatment regimes for TB
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the Cryptococcal Meningitis Action Group (CryptoMAG), a network including representatives from the WHO, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Médecins Sans Frontières, among others, advocating for greater global attention for cryptococcal meningitis.
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