The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) are pleased to announce an interdisciplinary two-year Fellowship in Planetary Heath. The Fellowship is supported by The Peter Piot fellowship programme through funding for the Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health (CCCPH) at the LSHTM. The Fellowship funding will be awarded for research that can improve understanding and capacity to prepare for and respond to environmental change and its health impacts in Africa, including climate change, land use change and urbanization. The Planetary Health program will seek to foster the professional development of a new generation of specialists to understand the health impacts of environmental change.
The two-year Fellowship will give an early career researcher the freedom to pursue novel research in the field of planetary health, including climate change and the implications of land use change, environmental destruction and degradation, and the evaluation of policies and measures to address these risks. The fellow will be able to work with world-class LSHTM faculty, including at MRC Units, from a broad range of disciplines including epidemiology, health systems, mathematical modelling, data science, diagnostics, social science, anthropology, clinical research and more. Based on their research interests, applicants are asked to submit a research proposal as part of the application. Applicants should identify a location for the research, and, if relevant, a collaborating African institution.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London Information
Founded in 1899, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of London (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants). Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London (LSHTM) is a very small (uniRank enrollment range: 1,000-1,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London (LSHTM) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 120 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on students' past academic record and grades. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications from individuals based at LMICs research institutions are strongly encouraged. Proficiency in the English language is a requirement for the Fellowship. Applications will be assessed on submitted documents and scored against the following criteria:
- Completed PhD degree within the last 3 years. We will accept applications from candidates who are confident that they will complete their PhD by 1 September 2022. Fellowships will only be awarded to people who have completed their PhDs.
- Demonstrated interest and experience in research on the links between health and environmental change.
- Ability to conduct a research project relating to environmental change and health that is of high scientific quality and has potential to make a clear impact on human health and that is deliverable within the duration of the Fellowship programme.
- Clear route for Fellowship work to benefit communities disproportionately affected by environmental change and/or traditionally under-served or under-resourced in adaptation or mitigation response measures.
- Potential for the project to generate novel interdisciplinary insights or methodology.
- Clear plan for the Fellowship to contribute to career development.
- Potential for the project to deliver a positive impact that lasts beyond the end of the Fellowship.
Offered Benefits
The fellow will receive a competitive research fellowship stipend of £25,000 per annum at either Gambia or Uganda. In addition, the fellowship will pay for the fellow's accommodation, annual holiday airfares and contribution to children’s school fees. They will also receive a modest research budget. Relocation and visa support will also be available for international applicants.
Application Process
This is a two-stage application process with the following timelines Stage 1: Interested applicants are invited to submit:
- CV including summary of key outputs and publications (maximum 3 pages)
- Personal statement (maximum 1 page) outlining career goals and reasons for applying
- An outline of a proposed research project to be conducted during the Fellowship (maximum 1 page)
Applications at Stage 1 will be shortlisted by a multi-disciplinary search committee and a shortlist of applicants will be invited to submit full applications in Stage 2.
Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants must submit:
- Preference for location to conduct the study
- List of two Faculty at LSHTM (either in London or at the MRC Units in Gambia and Uganda) they would be working with.
- Two letters of recommendation preferably from previous academic supervisors.
- An update of the outline proposal presented in stage one (details will be provided after stage 1 selections)
Applications with required documentation should be sent to: with a copy to
Required Documents:
- CV including summary of key outputs and publications (maximum 3 pages)
- Personal statement (maximum 1 page) outlining career goals and reasons for applying
- An outline of a proposed research project to be conducted during the Fellowship (maximum 1 page)
- Preference for location to conduct the study
- List of two Faculty at LSHTM (either in London or at the MRC Units in Gambia and Uganda) they would be working with.
- Two letters of recommendation preferably from previous academic supervisors.
- An update of the outline proposal presented in stage one (details will be provided after stage 1 selections)
Founded in 1899, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of London (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants). Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London (LSHTM) is a very small (uniRank enrollment range: 1,000-1,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London (LSHTM) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 120 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on students' past academic record and grades. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.