Learn about the three main research themes at MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM which cover Disease Control and Elimination, Vaccines and Immunity, and Nutrition and Planetary Health, as well as our cross-cutting themes and platforms.
Disease Control and Elimination
The disease control and elimination theme’s scientific strategy focuses on investigating the interactions between hosts, pathogens and vectors, and evaluating interventions aimed at interrupting transmission and/or reducing the disease burden. Its research portfolio includes diseases of public health importance in West Africa at different stages of control or elimination, e.g. malaria, bacterial diseases, hepatitis B.
Nutrition and Planetary Health
The nutrition focus aims at understanding the pathophysiology of diet-disease interactions in order to accelerate the development of more effective next-generation community and clinical interventions. The planetary health focus is on understanding and responding to the challenges of climate change on human health.
Vaccines and Immunity
The vaccines and immunity theme thrives to understand the ontogeny of immunity to inform the design of vaccines and maximise their impact. Through laboratory science and clinical trials, the theme’s aim is to contribute to the evidence based development and deployment of vaccines.
Maternal, neonatal and child health
A cross‐cutting theme, this research portfolio addresses pressing research questions related with maternal, neonatal and child health.
West Africa Research Platform
West Africa bears a high disease burden while local research capacities need to be developed further. There are several international and national funding initiatives and programmes addressing these issues. The MRCG recognises its unique positioning in the West Africa Region and intends to contribute and influence programmes aimed at creating a strong research and training hub able to respond to the regional needs.