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The MRC International Statistics & Epidemiology Group (MRC ISEG) 50^th anniversary symposium and celebration 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of MRC ISEG we are hosting a symposium to be held virtually on June 28-30, 2022.  The Symposium is hosted by LSHTM and our six partner institutes in Colombia (), The Gambia (), Tanzania (), Uganda (MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit), Zambia (Zambart) and Zimbabwe (The Health Research Institute - ).  

The symposium will reflect on the contribution of medical statistics and epidemiology to global health over the past 50 years and look to the future with discussion and debate on strategies to transform capacity in medical statistics and epidemiology globally.  Sessions will include a conversation with , Chief Scientist at WHO discussing capacity strengthening, advice to early-career researchers, and shaping epidemiological research in global health. The event will also include epidemiologists, medical statisticans, scientists and physicians who will discuss challenges and solutions in advancing research in both infectious and non communicable diseases. 

The symposium is open to anyone who has an interest in epidemiology or medical statistics. 

Programme and recording links 

Day 1: Tuesday 28 June 2022 

• 12:00-13:00:

  • 12:00-12:05: Welcome remarks 
    • Speaker: Liam Smeeth, LSHTM 
  • 12.05–12.55: The development of the MRC International Statistics and Epidemiology Group (ISEG) and contributions to global health in the past 50 years 
    • Speaker: Peter Smith, MRC ISEG, LSHTM 
  • 12.55-13.00: Break  

• 13:00-14:40:

  • 13:00-13:05: Welcome  
    • Chair: Pontiano Kaleebu, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
  • 13.05-13.20: Controlled human infection model for testing schistosomiasis vaccines 
    • Speaker: , MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
  • 13:20-13:35:  Rift valley fever: development and evaluation of a One Health vaccine 
    • Speaker: Zac Anywaine, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
  • 13:35-13:50: Africa CDC COVID-19 seroprevalence surveys 
    • Speaker: , Africa CDC and MRC ISEG 
  • 13:50-14:05: SARS-CoV2 and COVID-19 surveillance in a general population in Uganda 
    • Speaker: Joseph Mugisha, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
  • 14:05-14:20 Discussion 
    • Chair: Pontiano Kaleebu, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
  • 14:20-14:40: Break  

• 14:00-16:15:

  • 14:40-14:45: Welcome 
    • Chair: Umberto D’Alessandro,  MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM
  • 14:45-15:05: New approaches to mass drug administration to eliminate malaria 
    • Speaker: Edgard Dabira, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM 
  • 15:05-15:25: Seasonal interventions for malaria control 
    • Speaker: Matt Cairns, MRC ISEG LSHTM 
  • 15:25-15:45: Effectiveness of dual active ingredient treated nets against malaria in Tanzania 
    • Speaker: , NIMR Tanzania 
  • 15:45-16:00: Discussion 
    • Chair: Umberto D’Alessandro,  MRC Unit The Gambia  at LSHTM
  • 16:00-16:15: Break 

• 16:15-17:00:  

  • 16:15-17:00: In conversation with Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO: Expanding capacity and shaping epidemiological research to advance global health 

Day 2: Wednesday 29 June 2022  

• 12:00-13:00:

  • 12:00-12:50: Capacity in medical statistics and epidemiology in global health research: What is the problem? What are the solutions? 
    • Chair: Elizabeth Allen, LSHTM
• 12:50-13:00: Break 

• 13:00-14:40:

  • 13:00-13:05: Welcome 
    • Chair: , LSHTM
  • 13:05-13:20: What can we learn from a combined TB screening and HIV testing door-to-door community-wide strategy, in settings with a high prevalence of TB/HIV? 
    • Speaker: Thomas Gachie, Zambart, Zambia 
  • 13:20-13:35: TB and COVID – what are the links? 
    • Speaker: Kwame Shanaube, Zambart, Zambia 
  • 13:35-13:50: Digital adherence technologies to support tuberculosis care in Ethiopia 
    • Speaker: Amare Tadesse, MRC ISEG, LSHTM 
  • 13:50-14:05: TB-Practecal: results from a non-inferiority treatment trial for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis 
    • Speaker: Katherine Fielding, MRC ISEG, LSHTM 
  • 14:05-14:20: Discussion 
    • Chair: Helen Ayles, LSHTM
  • 14:20-14:40: Break 

• 14:40-16:00:  

  • 14:40-14:45: Welcome 
    • Chair: Neal Alexander, LSHTM
  • 14:45-15:00 Developing and validating the Social Ecology of Occupational Zoonoses (SEOZ) psychometric instrument for the prevention of infections in agricultural settings 
    • Speaker: , CIDEIM, Colombia 
  • 15:00-15:15: Simulated trials: Assessment of treatment effect in the era of widespread use of active controls 
    • Speaker: , MRC/UVRI & LSHTM, Uganda 
  • 15:15-15:30: Gender and intersectionality: Impacts of Artificial Intelligence/digital systems on marginalized groups 
    • Speaker: , Africa Population & Health Research Center, Kenya 
  • 15:30-15:45: Data science in outbreak response 
    • Speaker: Chris Grundy, MRC ISEG, LSHTM 
  • 15:45-16:00: Discussion 
    • Chair: Neal Alexander 

Day 3: Thursday 30 June 2022 

• 12:00-13:00:

  • 12:00-12:50: Increasing capacity in medical statistics and epidemiology in LMICs: What works 
    • Chair: Helen Weiss, LSHTM
    • Speakers from: MRC ISEG, Zambart, DREAMS, THRU, MRC Units 
  • 12:50-13:00: Break 

• 13:00-14:40:  

  • 13:00-13:05: Welcome 
    • Chair: , MITU, Tanzania and LSHTM
  • 13.05-13.20: Hypertension in HIV infected adults: a complex and important problem 
    • Speaker: , MITU, Tanzania 
  • 13.20-13.35: From epidemiology to the integration of care: 10 years of research on the response to chronic diseases in East Africa,  
    • Speaker: , MITU, Tanzania 
  • 13.35-13.50: Accuracy of blood pressure measurement in Kenya: Implications for controlling the epidemic of cardiovascular disease 
    • Speaker: , KEMRI, Kenya 
  • 13:50-14:05: Leveraging the HIV care platform to improve hypertension care using the PRECEDE model: a cluster randomised trial from Uganda 
    • Speaker: , Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Uganda 
  • 14:05-14:20: Discussion 
    • Chair: Saidi Kapiga, MITU and LSHTM 
  • 14:20-14:40: Break 

• 14:40-16:15:

  • 14:40-14:45: Welcome 
    • Chair: Agnes Mahomva 
  • 14:45-15:00: Universal test & treat: What have we learnt about ending the HIV epidemic?
    • Speaker: Richard Hayes, MRC ISEG, LSHTM 
  • 15:00-15:20: Beyond HIV: Broadening access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in southern and eastern Africa 
    • Speakers: , AHRI and UCL and , MRC/UVRI, Uganda 
  • 15:20-15:45: Innovation and Integration for HIV/SRH interventions for young people 
    • Speakers:  
      • Chido Dziva Chikwari, THRU & MRC ISEG 
      • , THRU, Zimbabwe 
      • Bernadette Hensen, LSHTM 
      • , Zambart, Zambia 

  • 15:45-16:00: Discussion 

    • Chair: Agnes Mahomva 

  • 16:00-16:15: Break 

• 16:16-17:00:  

  • New horizons in medical statistics and epidemiology: Reflections from researchers and funders on how to meaningfully increase capacity 

    • Chair: Rashida Ferrand, THRU & LSHTM 
    • Speakers: Representatives from EDCTP, MRC and other funders 

Other MRC-ISEG events 

• Pre-symposium training course 1 - Thursday 26 May 2022
• Pre-symposium training course 2 - Monday 20 June 2022
• Pre-symposium training course 3 - Thursday 23 June 2022

Registration disclaimer 

• By entering your contact details, you are agreeing to receive follow up communication specific to this event organised by LSHTM MRC ISEG. Communications will include details on how to join the event.  
• For more information on how your data is used, please see our LSHTM's events privacy notice and . 

Please note that the recording link will be listed on this page when available