Medicine without Frontiers: An Oxford physician-scientist working in Kenya.

Medicine without Frontiers: An Oxford physician-scientist working in Kenya.

Author: Oxford University June 4, 2010 Duration: 23:31
On one of Kevin Marsh's regular visits to Oxford, the historian Conrad Keating caught up with the world-renowned malariologist and asked him what initially drew him to tropical medicine... Africa is the world's most malarious continent, and the east coast of Kenya has been particularly debilitated by the disease. In 1987 Kevin Marsh visited the area and recognised that the region offered great possibilities for an integrated programme of research on malaria that linked basic scientific, clinical and epidemiological approaches. In collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Oxford University, and supported by the Wellcome Trust, a small, dedicated team began work in 1989. From modest beginnings in Kilifi, the Wellcome Research Programme has grown under Kevin Marsh's direction to become the most prestigious research programme in Africa. Its state-of-the-art laboratory houses 800 staff who produce over 100 peer review papers a year, working on major causes of ill health in Kenya and other countries in east Africa.

Behind the sobering statistics of global health-the millions of lives lost each year to diseases like malaria-lies a deeply human story of scientific pursuit. History of Tropical Medicine at Oxford uncovers that narrative, tracing how a field dedicated to some of the world's most devastating illnesses took root within one of the world's oldest universities. This podcast from Oxford University delves into the origins, built not just in laboratories but from pivotal, personal moments. You’ll hear how the entire endeavor can trace its genesis to a single, informal conversation over a bottle of whiskey between pioneers like David Weatherall and Peter Williams. Each episode explores the decades of tenacious research that followed, driven by those staggering numbers and the faces behind them. It’s a chronicle of how academic rigor meets urgent human need, detailing the breakthroughs, the challenges, and the enduring mission that defines this vital work. The series offers a compelling look at the intersection of history, medicine, and ethics, making the complex journey of tropical medicine accessible and deeply engaging. Tune in for a thoughtful examination of how a university’s commitment evolves into a global force for health, one discovery at a time.
Author: Language: en-uk Episodes: 5

History of Tropical Medicine at Oxford
Podcast Episodes
Dr. Brian Angus on Tropical Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:38
Writer and medical historian Conrad Keating talks to Dr. Brian Angus, Director of the Wellcome Trust UK Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine in Oxford, about his interest in science and how this inspired him to work wit…
Sarah Rowland-Jones on HIV/AIDS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:30
Conrad Keating interviews Sarah Rowland-Jones, Professor of Immunology and Consultant Physician. The theme of her work is anti-viral immunity with a particular focus on how immune responses modify the outcome of HIV and…
Forging a New Frontier in Oxford Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:38
The historian Conrad Keating continues his history of Oxford's groundbreaking contribution to health in the tropics by asking David Warrell what motivated him to work in Africa... The modern history of Oxford's medical c…
Sir David Weatherall on Malaria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:53
Conrad Keating, the medical historian, opens his series with an interview with Sir David Weatherall to mark World Malaria Day on April 25th 2010. Sir David was appointed Nuffield Professor of Clinical Medicine in 1974, a…