Brian Greenwood
Encyclopedia
Brian Mellor Greenwood, CBE
, FRCP, FRS (born 1938) is a British physician, biomedical research scientist, academic, and recipient of the first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
.
Greenwood is the Manson Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
and research. In his ten years experience working in Nigeria
, and his fifteen years as the head of the Medical Research Council
Laboratories in the Gambia, his main research interests were malaria and infections caused by capsulated bacteria such as the meningococcus (Neissera meningitidis).
Malaria's stubborn resistance to control and treatment has been demonstrated in his West African clinical experience. Setbacks in a series of promising drug treatments have proven frustrating.
Although successes in research for a reliable vaccine have continued to prove elusive, Dr. Greenwood has also persisted in promoting a simpler preventive approach. He has been in the forefront of those who are encouraging the use of chemically treated mosquito nets to shield sleeping villagers from attack by the malaria-infected insects.
in July 2006 as a new international medical research and services award. The announcement of tentative plans for the prize were timed to mark the official visit to by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
to Africa in May 2006. The announcement also marked the 80th anniversary of Dr. Noguchi’s death. The Prize aims to honour individuals with outstanding achievements in combating various infectious diseases in Africa or in establishing innovative medical service systems.
The inaugural presentation ceremony and the initial laureate lectures coincide with the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development
(TICAD), which was held in Yokohama
in late April 2008. This year's conference venue was moved from Tokyo to Yokohama as another way of honoring the man after whom the prize was named. In 1899, Dr. Noguchi worked at the Yokohama Port Quarantine Office as an assistant quarantine doctor.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
made the actual award presentation; and the Emperor and Empress were present at the 2008 ceremony along with a large number of African heads of state.
Greenwood was honored in the Medical Research category; and his announced laureate lecture topic was "Malaria elimination – Is it possible?"
The first awards of this international prize—consisting of a citation, a medal and an honorarium of 100 million yen (US$843,668) were only intended to be the first in a continuing series; and subsequently the Prize is expected to be awarded every five years. The prize as been made possible through a combination of government funding and private donations.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, FRCP, FRS (born 1938) is a British physician, biomedical research scientist, academic, and recipient of the first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
The honors men and women "with outstanding achievements in the fields of medical research and medical services to combat infectious and other diseases in Africa, thus contributing to the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind." The prize, officially named "The Prize in...
.
Greenwood is the Manson Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Malaria research and mitigation
Greenwood's career has focused on mitigating the effects of malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and research. In his ten years experience working in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and his fifteen years as the head of the Medical Research Council
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
Laboratories in the Gambia, his main research interests were malaria and infections caused by capsulated bacteria such as the meningococcus (Neissera meningitidis).
Malaria's stubborn resistance to control and treatment has been demonstrated in his West African clinical experience. Setbacks in a series of promising drug treatments have proven frustrating.
Although successes in research for a reliable vaccine have continued to prove elusive, Dr. Greenwood has also persisted in promoting a simpler preventive approach. He has been in the forefront of those who are encouraging the use of chemically treated mosquito nets to shield sleeping villagers from attack by the malaria-infected insects.
Honours
- 1977 - Chalmers Medal, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneRoyal Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneThe Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was founded in 1907 by Sir James Cantlie and George Carmichael Low. Sir Patrick Manson, the Society's first President is generally acknowledged as the father of tropical medicine. He passed the presidency on to the Nobel laureate Sir Ronald Ross ,...
(RSTMH). - 1987 - Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday HonoursQueen's Birthday HonoursThe Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
. - 1991 - McKay Prize, American Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneAmerican Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneThe American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is a non-profit organization of scientists, clinicians, students and program professionals whose longstanding mission is to promote global health through the prevention and control of infectious and other diseases that disproportionately...
. - 1995 - Adesuyi Prize, West African Health Community (1995).
- 2001 - Manson Medal, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
The Japanese Government established the Hideyo Noguchi Africa PrizeHideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
The honors men and women "with outstanding achievements in the fields of medical research and medical services to combat infectious and other diseases in Africa, thus contributing to the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind." The prize, officially named "The Prize in...
in July 2006 as a new international medical research and services award. The announcement of tentative plans for the prize were timed to mark the official visit to by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
to Africa in May 2006. The announcement also marked the 80th anniversary of Dr. Noguchi’s death. The Prize aims to honour individuals with outstanding achievements in combating various infectious diseases in Africa or in establishing innovative medical service systems.
The inaugural presentation ceremony and the initial laureate lectures coincide with the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development
Tokyo International Conference on African Development
is a conference held every five years in Tokyo, Japan, with the objective "to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners." Japan is a co-host of these conferences. Other co-organizers of TICAD are the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa...
(TICAD), which was held in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in late April 2008. This year's conference venue was moved from Tokyo to Yokohama as another way of honoring the man after whom the prize was named. In 1899, Dr. Noguchi worked at the Yokohama Port Quarantine Office as an assistant quarantine doctor.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
Yasuo Fukuda
was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving for three and a half years under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi....
made the actual award presentation; and the Emperor and Empress were present at the 2008 ceremony along with a large number of African heads of state.
Greenwood was honored in the Medical Research category; and his announced laureate lecture topic was "Malaria elimination – Is it possible?"
The first awards of this international prize—consisting of a citation, a medal and an honorarium of 100 million yen (US$843,668) were only intended to be the first in a continuing series; and subsequently the Prize is expected to be awarded every five years. The prize as been made possible through a combination of government funding and private donations.
External links
- Audio interview: Dr. Greenwood discusses Noguchi Prize and his research background in Africa
- Japanese Government Internet TV: streaming video, "Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize," 2007/04/26 (5 mins.)
- Development Gateway Foundation: Noguchi Prize, Greenwood bio
- Gates Malaria Partnership: Greenwood, director
- Malaria Advisory Group (MAG): Greenwood, adviser
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science: Purpose and Description of the Noguchi Prize
- University of London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: Noguchi prize announcement