Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Global Health Cancer Research

About Queen Mary University of London

Ranked joint 7th in the UK for the quality of its research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, Queen Mary University of London is one of the UK's leading research-intensive higher education institutions, delivering world class education and knowledge transfer across a wide range of subjects in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Medicine & Dentistry and Science & Engineering.

About The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD) offers international excellence in research and teaching, and supports clinical service for a population of unrivalled ethnic diversity in East London and the wider Thames Gateway.  At the forefront of medical research and education, with research themes in cancer, cardiovascular medicine, inflammation, trauma and population health, the Faculty is ranked 2nd in the 2021 QS World University rankings for research citations and consistently positioned first in London for subject rankings and student satisfaction.

Working with six NHS Trust partners in East London, the Faculty is central to delivering impact on health-related challenges for local and global populations; it has a strong commitment to public engagement through its pioneering science education centre in Whitechapel, The Centre of the Cell.  The Faculty is firmly embedded in our East End and global communities, and through education and research we are committed to improving the health outcomes, the wellbeing, and the prosperity of those we serve through a strategy focused on Better Health for All.

Job context

One of six FMD institutes, the Wolfson Institute of Population Health (WIPH) is an exciting and dynamic environment, home to over 400 staff, more than 100 PhD students and more than 500 postgraduate taught students. It harnesses expertise across a wide range of population based research and education activities and aims to be an internationally recognised centre of excellence in population health, primary care and preventive medicine. The Institute is organised into six separate research centres which, though complementary and following the Institute strategic plan, also have Centre-specific objectives and requirements.

The Centre for Cancer Screening, Prevention and Early Diagnosis (CCSPED) brings together globally leading researchers focusing on cancer prevention, cancer screening and detection and early diagnosis across two Units. CCSPED also hosts the cross-cutting Cancer Behavioural Science group and the CRUK-funded Cancer Prevention Trials Unit (CPTU, Director, Sasieni).

The CCSPED hosts a NIHR Global Health Research award funding the AWACAN-ED (African aWAreness of CANcer & Early Diagnosis) programme (see www.awacan.online). This research is being conducted in Zimbabwe and South Africa, in partnership with the Universities of Harare and Cape Town.

In Southern Africa, people with symptoms of cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers are diagnosed when they self-present, usually at an advanced stage and with associated poor outcomes. AWACAN-ED aims to shift this paradigm to earlier stage at diagnosis, by addressing important questions about how to encourage appropriate help-seeking among people with possible cancer symptoms and how to deliver high-quality, accessible and equitable cancer referral and diagnosis services in lower level facilities. The research is being undertaken mainly in local clinics and secondary health facilities that are the first place that people go for health services in these countries. Studies include developing materials in local languages to increase awareness and access to the services.

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