Nigel Unwin, BA, MSc, PhD

Nigel is a public health physician, with track record in studying the burden, prevention and control of chronic non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Much of this work has been in low and middle income country settings. His academic career began at Newcastle University, UK, in 1993, and he’s worked with the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization, including 2 years as medical officer in Geneva. In August 2010 he moved to the University of West Indies as Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology where, at the Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, he’s helped to develop graduate public health training, including a new MPH and PhD programme and research addressing the prevention and control of diabetes and CVD.

From September 2014 he moved to the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre of the University of the West Indies, to a new chair of Population Health Sciences. He moved back to the UK in April 2016, but continues at the University of the West Indies as a visiting Professor, and where his responsibilities include acting as a supervisor to 5 PhD students and contribution to ongoing research.

Research interests

Current research includes, but is not limited to: assessing the success and impact of policy measures for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across 20 Caribbean countries and territories; investigating health inequities in the Caribbean, particularly related to diabetes and CVD; using systems thinking and modelling to inform policy decision making around diabetes prevention and control; evaluating the impact of fiscal measures on diet, such as the tax on sugar sweetened beverages in Barbados, and elsewhere; and the feasibility of a short low calorie diet to improve diabetes control and in some to achieve remission of diabetes.