Obesity and its associated diseases are a global epidemic, particularly affecting developing world populations. The risk of obesity and its associated diseases is amplified by under-nutrition in early life, which affects approximately 40% of the global population, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, rural India and China, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite efforts to prevent and manage the epidemic, it continues to rise. The UWI SODECO SFM approach aims to identify the molecular mechanisms driving the obesity and chronic disease responses and use this knowledge to develop novel interventions for prevention and treatment. The approach combines infrastructure and research grants to address the interaction of malnutrition, developmental biology, and the risk of obesity and associated diseases.

BUILDING RESEARCH IN FACULTY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

From its inception, UWI SODECO has worked closely with the Faculty of Medical Sciences in order to further research in the faculty.

First is an accelerated programme to identify and train research leaders in Departments. The Faculty has agreed to reallocate time and modify evaluation criteria appropriately to allow Research Leaders 80% time to focus on research so as to serve as the engines within their departments for research. Clinical and Teaching Faculty will thus have a Departmental focal point for research in which they can participate without carrying the full burden of clinical/teaching simultaneously with their research. The first three candidates have been enrolled in a tightly run PhD programme embedded in the UWI SODECO research programme, with a three-four year graduation timeline.

An initiative (2020) to bring together established scientists from UWI SODECO, CARIGEN, ICENS and Basic Medical Sciences at UWI Mona to advance the careers and develop academic leadership of early career scientists by embedding them in funded and internationally networked projects now ongoing.