My interest in zoonotic diseases began with collaborations at Lubee Bat Conservancy

 

After returning to the UK, I took a role as the coordinator of a  virtual centre for infectious diseases researchers at the University of Cambridge and affiliated institutes. Our vision is to build a world-leading interdisciplinary centre with capacity to develop innovative solutions for intractable infectious disease problems and support evidence for infectious disease policy.

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The strategic aims of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Infectious Diseases include:

• to connect a diverse research community

• to create increased opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborative research

• to translate and share knowledge bringing the benefits of innovation to all sections of industry, government and society

• to develop external partnerships

• to equip the next generation of researchers with the knowledge, experience and skills for interdisciplinary research

 

The virtual network connects over 300 infectious diseases researchers across the University and sector leading institutes in Cambridge and beyond. Our members include over a hundred Principal Investigators and are from all six schools of the University, including members from biological sciences, medicine, physical sciences, social sciences, humanities, computer science, engineering and technology. Activities support the practice of collaboration, operating as a connector and catalyzer of existing and new initiatives, supporting the capacity of researchers to develop new research collaborations, and acting as a gateway for industry, policy makers and the public to access Cambridge expertise in infectious diseases. The Cambridge Infectious Diseases IRC provides a model of how a small administrative infrastructure, with academic input from members, can initiate and support a range of collaborations, training events and information resources, thereby ultimately leading to better collaborative research.

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