In Conversation With… Andrew and Cedric: Medicines Without Frontiers?

What challenges do scientists working outside the UK face, and how can the University of Dundee play its part righting historic wrongs?

Research into new medicines has historically happened in the global north. This is true even for diseases found elsewhere in the world. This includes the World Health Organisation’s so-called ‘Neglected Tropical Diseases’. In our previous events, we have met scientists from places like the University of Dundee, and Switzerland-based Medicines for Malaria Venture. But what is it like for scientists working in low- and middle-income countries?

At the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, we want to be a part of a cultural change. Our training programme is designed to empower early-career researchers from around the world. We aim to give them the skills to build their own research capacity locally. We bring these talented scientists to Dundee for up to a year, then support their further development at home.

For this In Conversation With…, we’d like to introduce you to two talented scientists. Andrew Mtewa is based at the Malawi University of Science and Technology, and Cedric Graebin is from Brazil. They are both medicinal chemists. Both also have vast experience in working in teams and institutions where resources are much more limited than those of us in the UK might be used to.

Join us as our experts discuss the challenges of working in new medicine research around the world. We’ll also find out how they adapt their practices to utilise the resources they have access to.