Dr Eleanor Ochodo wins prestigious Research Leader Grant
Dr Eleanor Ochodo of Stellenbosch University, South Africa, won one of the four 2019 African Research Leader Awards from the UKRI's Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). It was awarded as Eleanor is recognised a leader in her field of research. Dr Ochodo will receive funding (GBP 770K total) for 4-5 years to pursue research designed to address priority health problems of people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Ochodo will formally develop an integrative approach that optimises translation of evidence into policy through evidence synthesis and national adaptation of global guidelines using HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria as examples and build capacity to conduct and use evidence synthesis in formal policy making processes.
She will strengthen south-to-south research collaborations in evidence synthesis between Stellenbosch University in South Africa and the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Eleanor also intends to a research hub in evidence synthesis and research translation in Kenya, linked to the Stellenbosch programme led by Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care (CEBHC) Director and READ-It Deputy Director Professor Taryn Young. Underpinning the process and advising on her development and programme of work are the READ-It Director Professor Paul Garner in Liverpool and Professor Feiko ter Kuile at LSTM in Kenya.
Dr Ochodo said: “I am honoured and excited to be given a platform to advance the science, methods and capacity of evidence-synthesis and research translation in Africa”.
The African Research Leader Award scheme is awarded annually and aims to strengthen research leadership across sub-Saharan Africa by attracting and retaining exceptionally talented individuals who will lead high-quality programmes of research on key global health issues. Those awarded as part of the scheme need to have a strong national research environment and by a strong link with a UK partner. You can find more about the scheme here.