The Wellcome Trust is a name that pops up often in the world of science research funding. Established in 1939 with money from the estate of pharmaceutical magnate Sir Henry Wellcome, it has an endowment of £16.6 billion which is used to fund scientific research and public engagement projects across the world aimed at improving human and animal health and the public understanding of science. In the UK, it is the largest non-government funder of scientific research, and is the second largest in the world after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So basically they are the bees-knees of science funding!
In addition to providing funding to scientists for their research, they own and run the Wellcome Collection, a science museum in London. It’s worth a visit! They regularly host events that bring scientists and people with curious minds together. One of these is ‘Packed Lunch’, a monthly hour long chat with a Wellcome funded scientist about their research. Today’s Packed Lunch is with Dr David Osrin from University College London, who does research in maternal and child health in Mumbai. I’ll be attending and liveblogging the event so stay tuned.
12:55: Very slick operation by the Wellcome Collection. The venue feels like a spring picnic! Soundtrack of tweeting birds in the background, fake grass and FREE APPLES! Woop!
Wellcome Collection ‘Packed Lunch’ event featuring David Osrin, University College London
Wellcome Collection ‘Packed Lunch’ event
12:58 On the menu today: Dr David Osrin, University College London
1:02 We only have an hour so straight into it! He’s lived and worked in Mumbai for 10 years doing his research and public engagement.
1:05 Works with an NGO called SNEHA in Mumbai. Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action. They are focussed on maternal and child health in informal settlements. Sneha also means “love” in Hindi ❤
1:08 Sounds like he wears two hats: researcher and physician. SNEHA actually implements health interventions and then this is recorded and forms part of research.
1:11 Interesting point made about the double burden of disease in low income parts of urban areas. Not only high risk of infectious diseases like TB because of living conditions, but also lifestyle related non-communicable diseases from urban living.
1:13 Global mass killers of children in poor communities like diarrhea and pneumonia have reduced, but other issues are on the rise, for example mental health.
1:15 “If you want to work in the community then you have to work with people in the community. There is a long term process for entering into communities that requires you to develop strong relationships with people. The longer you do this for, the more help you can provide.”
1:17 Wait, what? He just said something about using art as part of health interventions. Didn’t expect him to say that! #curveball. “Integrate art centered action with traditional health interventions.” What does this mean?
1:19 He’s put his researcher hat on. They are doing a clustered randomized control trail where they are measuring the effects of certain interventions on the health of women and children. The interventions are happening in certain places and not happening in others. I feel sad for the control group that doesn’t get to access the interventions, but I guess this is how scientific research works.
1:23 The debate is: can you measure the outcomes of complicated social interventions? Interesting question. Some outcomes can be measured he says. Things like, how many women can give birth in hospitals, are there fewer children dying and quite literally, the children can be measured to check for growth and health etc.
1:27 He describes the discipline he works in as urban health care. The world became 50% urban in 2010. “Urban health care as a discipline is in its infancy. We don’t know how to do this”.
1:32 Asked about a project he was excited about. 11 000 people attended a 3 week exhibition held in the slum. Is that back to art again? I’m confused! Tell me more about the art!
1:36 Some things are hard to measure. Interventions to prevent violence against women. How do you find out if what you did worked to reduce something from happening that you don’t know about?
David Osrin speaks about maternal and child health in informal settlements in Mumbai
1:41 Really interesting comments about how research like this impacts policymakers and funders. We like to believe that research is done, evidence shows that certain actions have a particular impact and this influences policymakers to implement similar actions. Rarely happens like that. Regardless of the pitfalls though, he says he is still committed to evidence generation because we don’t want our governments to invest in big scale interventions that don’t work. Also mentions that some of his research has influenced certain WHO guidelines, which could be used by health ministers and impact on policy development around the world.
1:45 Talks about a programme focused on violence against women that they are running called Little Sister. Crowd-sourcing reports of gender based violence. If you hear about something that is happening to anyone, you can report it to them and their counsellors will contact you. This forms part of research (data is recorded) and allows for interventions to happen.
1:49 What will the effect of your measurement/research be on a population. Really interesting point! Just by regularly measuring or recording something you are making an intervention in a sense. If a community health worker comes to your house once a week to measure your baby to record data for research, you are also able to receive messages and info about health care regularly.
1:53 Collecting too much data can be a problem. Not necessarily the case that the more data recorded the better. Keep it lean, but ensure there is enough. Need to strike a balance.
1:58 Final point: “Urban health is rudderless. It needs direction and leadership.” Speaks about needing urban planners, architects, doctors and nurses, people who are experts in cultural and social studies to come together.
2:00 Next Packed Lunch, 17 June: Dr Fiona Burns. An expert in sexual health and HIV in migrant communities within the UK. This was an awesome way to spend a lunch hour, so I’d highly recommend coming through sometime!
2:03 Definitely taking another free apple on my way out…
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