LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
FURTHER PARTICULARS
SENIOR POSITION IN NUTRITION-SENSITIVE DEVELOPMENT
BACKGROUND
The Leverhulme Trust has provided one of its largest ever funding awards to the London
International Development Centre (LIDC) to establish a centre to integrate research on agriculture
and health in support of international development. The Leverhulme Centre for Integrative
Research in Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH) is an inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary
collaboration between the Bloomsbury Colleges of the University of London, involving staff and
research student appointments in the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and
other Colleges, led by a cross-College Management Team.
LCIRAH works across sectors and disciplines to develop unifying concepts and methods that link
agricultural and health research, which it applies to improve our understanding of complex
development issues, particularly in areas of:
 Agriculture, poverty and development;
 Agriculture, diet and NCDs in development
 Emerging food borne and zoonotic diseases
 Climate change, environment, agriculture and health
 A value chains approach in agriculture and health research
 Innovative metrics for agricultural and health research
We are seeking to appoint a reader or senior lecturer at LSHTM to advance the LCIRAH research
agenda in the arena of nutrition-sensitive development with a particular emphasis on inter-sectoral
development initiatives to improve nutrition outcomes. A Professorial-level appointment could be
made available for an exceptional candidate. The successful candidate will demonstrate expert
skills and intellectual leadership and evidence of inter-sectoral research and will lead the
development of collaborations between LCIRAH research groups and the wider academic
community.
THE SCHOOL
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of Europe’s leading schools of
Public Health and a leading postgraduate institution worldwide for research and postgraduate
education in global health.
Part of the University of London, the London School is the largest institution of its kind in Europe
with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise encompassing many disciplines. The School
was ranked one of the top 3 research institutions in the country in the Times Higher Education’s
'table of excellence', which is based on the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). In 2009,
the School became the first UK institution to win the Gates Award for Global Health.
The School’s environment is a rich multicultural one: there are almost 4000 students from 100+
countries following 22 taught masters courses delivered either in London (~650) or through
distance learning (~2700), and undertaking research degree training (~400). Over 40% of these
students are from non-European countries. The largest growth has been in distance learning
students (>40% over 3 years), though the London-based student population (where
accommodation limits growth) is at its highest level ever. Alumni are working in more than 180
countries. The School has about 1500 staff drawn from over 60 nationalities.
There are research collaborations with over 100 countries throughout the world, utilizing our critical
mass of multidisciplinary expertise which includes clinicians, epidemiologists, nutritionists,
statisticians, social scientists, molecular biologists, immunologists, ophthalmologists,
anthropologists, virologists and pharmacologists. At any one time around 100 School staff are
based overseas, particularly in Africa and Asia. We have a strong commitment to partnership with
institutions in low- and middle-income countries to support the development of teaching and
research capacity.
The School has expanded greatly in recent years. Its research funding now exceeds £67m per
annum, much of it from highly competitive national and international sources. The commitment of
staff to methodological rigour, innovative thinking and policy relevance will ensure that the School
continues to occupy a leadership position in national and global health, adapting quickly to new
challenges and opportunities.
MISSION
To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve
excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy
and practice.
THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
The London International Development Centre (LIDC) was established in 2008 under a formal
agreement between the six Bloomsbury Colleges of the University of London: Birkbeck, Institute of
Education, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, The School of Pharmacy, Royal
Veterinary College and School of Oriental and African Studies. The objectives of LIDC include
development of inter-College, inter-disciplinary research and training programmes on critical issues
in international development, support to policy makers and strengthening of capacity in higher
education and other institutions in low and middle income countries. LIDC is a membership
organization open to staff, alumni and postgraduate studies of its Colleges, and is led by a
Director, who reports to the Heads of the Bloomsbury Colleges. Through workshops and other
activities, LIDC helps to build and support new inter-College programmes.
The London International Development Centre led the development of LCIRAH, and the Director of
LIDC is the Chair of the LCIRAH Management Committee. LIDC will provide administrative
support and accommodation for the LCIRAH Professors and other staff at its premises at 36
Gordon Square. Two London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Faculties are involved in
LCIRAH, Epidemiology and Population Health and Public Health and Policy. The post will be
formally linked to the School through the Department of Population Health in the Faculty of
Epidemiology and Population Health.
THE FACULTY
The Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health (EPH) houses a large group of
epidemiologists, demographers, statisticians and nutritionists working on issues of major public
health importance in the UK and globally. EPH has approximately 330 staff members organised
into four research departments:
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Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Department of Medical Statistics
Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology
Department of Population Health.
The Faculty has a teaching programme consisting of ten MSc courses: Epidemiology, Demography
and Health, Medical Statistics, Public Health in Developing Countries (run jointly with the Faculties
of Infectious & Tropical Diseases and Public Health & Policy), Nutrition for Global Health,
Reproductive & Sexual Health Research, Veterinary Epidemiology (run jointly with the Royal
Veterinary College), Global Mental Health (run jointly with Kings College London - Institute of
Psychiatry) and the Distance Learning courses in Epidemiology and Clinical Trials. The Faculty
also has approximately 150 research students studying for an MPhil, PhD or DrPH degree. The
Head of Faculty is Professor Laura Rodrigues.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Population Health (DPH) aims to increase global access to effective
treatments and public health interventions, and is a centre of excellence in the measurement and
analysis of global consequences of population change. DPH is home to 5 major research groups:
Nutrition Group: addressing major nutrition and food-related problems that affect human
development, with expertise in under-nutrition, immunity & infection, nutritional genetics, nutritionrelated chronic diseases, and agriculture & health; Global Mental Health: conducting research
and capacity building in policy, prevention, treatment and care for people living with mental,
neurological & substance use disorders; Maternal & Child Health Intervention Research:
conducting intervention trials to improve maternal, new born & child survival, and child growth
development; Clinical Trials Unit: a fully registered CTU under UK Clinical Research
Collaboration, co-ordinating and conducting clinical trials in low, middle and high income countries;
Population Studies Group: conducting research in reproductive & sexual health, the
demographic impact of AIDS in Africa, family demography, health & ageing, and methodological
work on measurement of health and technical demographic analysis.
DPH hosts the network for Analysis of Longitudinal, Population-based data on HIV/AIDS in Africa
(ALPHA), the Cochrane Injuries Group, and the Transport & Health Group, and has strong links
with many overseas research groups. DPH provides world-class opportunities for postgraduate
training; offering four masters courses: MSc Nutrition for Global Health, MSc Demography &
Health, MSc Reproductive & Sexual Health Research, and the new MSc Global Mental Health. The
Head of Department is Dr Phil Edwards.
THE POST
The Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research in Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH) is an intersectoral and inter-disciplinary collaboration designed to enable and advance the integration of
research on agriculture and health in support of international development. The Centre is
supported by an award from The Leverhulme Trust to sustain two senior appointments, five postdoctoral appointments, 14 PhD fellowships and associated conference and administrative costs.
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is seeking to appoint a reader or senior
lecturer in nutrition and development to lead the development of the College’s involvement in
LCIRAH. A Professorial-level appointment could be made available for an exceptional candidate.
A research programme is being developed with collaboration between the LCIRAH partner
organisations, and the following strategic themes have been identified:
 Agriculture, poverty and development;
 Agriculture, diet and NCDs in development
 Emerging food borne and zoonotic diseases
 Climate change, environment, agriculture and health
 A value chains approach in agriculture and health research
 Innovative metrics for agricultural and health research
We are looking to make a senior appointment to an individual with a background in nutrition or
other related health science, who can advance the development of these strategic thematic
research programmes with a particular focus on research which evaluates the impact of
interventions and policies from a range of sectors including agriculture on nutrition and health
outcomes. The post holder will have a strong academic research background and should be able
to demonstrate interest in conducting inter-sectoral work relevant to the identified LCIRAH strategic
themes.
The new appointment will be based with other members of LCIRAH within the London International
Development Centre. The appointee will be affiliated with the Department of Population Health in
the Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, but be expected to work across all three
Faculties of the School, and across all LCIRAH partner organisations to develop and embed intersectoral research.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The specific job description of the post will be commensurate to the level of appointment, but
broadly is to:
Research
 Provide intellectual leadership to LCIRAH by advancing knowledge in an area linking
international development and nutrition through the conduct and publication of original intersectoral research that makes a significant contribution to building this research area;
 Develop internationally competitive programmes of externally funded research relevant to the
LCIRAH strategic research themes;
 Cultivate strong integrative research links with other institutions, both LCIRAH partners and
other key national and international organisations;
 Promote a wider understanding of the importance of integrative research in international
development and health within LSHTM, LCIRAH partners and internationally.
Teaching
 Develop new integrative MSc teaching modules linking international development, food, health
and nutrition;
 Teach on the postgraduate teaching programme at LSHTM;
 Supervise PhD students working on integrative research projects;
 Undertake appropriate training in teaching methods as required by the School.
Citizenship
 Lead the development of activities that help promote the objectives of LCIRAH;
 Contribute to the management of LCIRAH;
 Contribute to international research through external committee membership and other
appropriate external activities;
 Proactively engage with policy initiatives to promote the integration of international
development and nutrition;
 Contribute to the general activities of LSHTM that help promote its objectives.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
 Track record of innovative quantitative research in international development, nutrition and
health or related fields;
 High quality publications in peer-reviewed journals commensurate with years in research;
 Proven ability to raise significant research funds;
 Evidence of ability to work effectively in research collaborations.
Desirable
 Experience of teaching at the post-graduate level;
 Experience of interaction with decision-makers and other research users;
 Experience in research in an area of international development;
 Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary setting.
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The successful candidate will hold a permanent contract and be appointed at the level of reader or
senior lecturer. A Professorial appointment could be made for an exceptional candidate. The post
will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of service, including membership of the
Universities Superannuation Scheme. The candidate will be based at the Leverhulme Centre for
Integrative Research in Agriculture and Health which is situated in the London International
Development Centre.
APPLICATIONS
Applications are made on line at our website http://jobs.lshtm.ac.uk/ . The reference for the senior
appointment in nutrition-sensitive development will be AD04.
The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience and training
meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more paragraphs addressing each
criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part of the selection process and thus a failure
to provide this information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to any
of the criteria such as “Please see attached CV” will not be considered acceptable.
An academic CV, list of publications and the names of three referees, one of whom should be the
most recent employer and may be approached immediately, should also be included with the online application.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss the post before applying with Dr. Alan
Dangour based at LSHTM (Alan.Dangour@lshtm.ac.uk), Professor Bhavani Shankar based at
LCIRAH (b.shankar@soas.ac.uk) or Professor Jeff Waage LCIRAH principal investigator based at
LIDC (Jeff.Waage@lidc.bloomsbury.ac.uk).
“The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an equal opportunities
employer”