In 2016, the Dennis and Mireille Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships were established as a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the Institut Pasteur.

Designed to advance the next generation of public health leaders, the three year post-doctoral fellowships aim to instil financial acumen and business entrepreneurship against a backdrop of research excellence, all at a formative stage in the careers of young scientists.

The research focus covers two areas critical to the provision of sustainable global public health solutions: emerging infectious diseases and neuroscience, specifically autism.

“Today’s complex public health challenges demand leaders with strategic vision, excellent leadership skills and an ability to negotiate local, national and global health systems with ease, with the generous support of Dennis and Mireille Gillings we are now able to train future public health leaders who possess these skills via the Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships” Professor Carol Brayne, Director of Cambridge Institute of Public Health

The Gillings Fellows receive public health leadership skills training during the first year of the fellowship, followed by one-to-one professional coaching support in years two and three.

During year two, the Fellows undertake the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship at the Judge Business School in Cambridge. This qualification enables the Fellows to develop a critical understanding of entrepreneurship and the core skills needed to develop a sustainable business case, including building the financial model, for an entrepreneurial venture of each Fellow’s choice.

While the Cambridge Institute for Public Health has been producing scientific leaders in public health for decades, the Mireille and Dennis Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships are presenting an exciting opportunity to establish an explicit link between scientific and business leadership and train future global public health leaders.

Applications for these two fellowships were invited in late 2015. Our two fellows are:

Andres Roman-Urrestarazu MD, PhD
Gillings Fellow in Autism Research and Global Public Health, Autism Research Centre – ARC & Institute of Public Health – CIPH

Michelle Morters
Gillings Fellow, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge Veterinary School & Institute of Public Health – CIPH

Watch our Q&A with Andres here: