Research students, postdoctoral researchers and professional services staff were recognised for their work at the annual Institute of Infection and Global Health (IGH) Day.
The Victoria Gallery & Museum hosted the event, with talks across a variety of themes including clinical infection; microbiology and immunology; infection biology and epidemiology; and population health, split into four sessions and delivered in the Leggate Lecture Theatre.
Prizes were awarded for those considered to have excelled over the year, among the student, academic and professional services bodies.
Head of Institute, Professor Tom Solomon, described the day as ‘brilliant’.
He said: “It went so well because it is the first time we have been able to get everybody from IGH together and it allowed us to see the full range of the work. But what was really rewarding was seeing the presentations by the students and their passion for their science.”
Professor Solomon singled out IGH Young Investigator of the Year, PhD student, Yasir Alhamdi’s talk on how the efficiency of the heart is affected by sepsis, for particular praise.
He said: “He took an important clinical problem, about the heart not pumping well during severe infection, and looked at the basic science underlying it and even came up with possible treatment. His work may lead to a number of new treatments for heart failure in sepsis. The Institute looks at a range of infection problems, and is very interested in doing work that makes a difference. A lot of our work has impact, either in the UK or globally and Yasir’s work is a good example of that.”
Dr Jane Hodgkinson picked up the IGH Researcher of the Year award for her work looking into food security, with particular emphasis on resolving the issues created by parasitic diseases in food-producing animals.
Other winners were PhD student, Georgina Crayford who won the IGH Poster Prize; Chloe James who was named Post-doctoral Researcher of the Year; Tom Maddox scooped the NE Roberts Prize for his work investigating antimicrobial resistance in hospitalised equine patients; and Allan Downie Prize winner, Gemma Chaloner.
Jackie Lee was named Professional Services Person of the Year, with Clare Kelly and Jan Harries also shortlisted.
Professor Solomon said: “They’ve all done a fantastic job”.
The day was rounded off by the Director of the National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Centre in the USA, Dr Roger Glass, who delivered the Tony Hart Memorial Lecture on the subject of rotovirus.
To hear a podcast of Dr Glass’ presentation, click here: http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/ehls/IGH-seminars/Tony-Hart-Memorial-Lecture-Rotavirus-Vaccines-Successes-and-Challenges/
