Public Health, Policy and Systems @ University of Liverpool

A navy blue title card that reads 'Prof Daniel Pope, Inaugural Lecture' in white writing surrounded by white outlined boxes. To the right is a picture of Professor Daniel Pope.

Last week, Professor Daniel Pope reflected on more than two decades of research at his recent inaugural lecture, highlighting a career tackling household air pollution and its impact on global health.

🔗 bit.ly/4lnXoud

#TeamLivUni

The recording of Professor Dan Pope's inaugural lecture, highlighting a career tackling household air pollution and its impact on global health, is now available.

📹 You can watch the Inaugural Lecture, and all previous IPH Inaugural Lectures, here:
www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-h...

🚀 Research Fellows Showcase 2026 🚀

📅 12 May | 📍 Cathedral Crypts

Fellow talks, postdoc flash talks, keynote panel & networking.

Save the date for your diary!

@liverpooluni.bsky.social

@liverpooluni.bsky.social's Dr Edward Hill and Dr Samuel Ball have developed and produced a podcast called Health Data Decoded.

👉 www.liverpool.ac.uk/health-and-l...

6/ ⚠️ We know change is needed!

🥘 Change is available, acceptable, affordable – cooking with clean fuels

👥 BUT – need to empower, mobilise and support communities

🗺️ Population transition to clean cooking is needed, recognised and action is being taken but is this the right action?!

/end

5/ ❓ What can we do? Universal Access to Clean Modern Energy (Sustainable Development Goal 7)

1️⃣ Cameroon LACE Studies (2015-2018)

2️⃣ NICE CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Unit (2018-2027)

3️⃣ What now??? A critical time and a significant priority.

4/❓ How do we know? Historical Turning Points

1️⃣ The first evert randomised control trial (RCT) of an improved cookstove intervention (2001-2007)

2️⃣ The Global Burden of Disease Study (2010)

3️⃣ The WHO Air Quality Guidelines for Household Fuel Combustion (2014)

3/ Household air pollution: Global health priority

🔥 3 billion people rely on unsafe household energy. 1 billion people rely on polluting fuels for cooking in Africa.

☠️ 740,000 lives lost each year

🌍 Over 1000 women in sub-Saharan Africa die each day prematurely from cooking with polluting fuels.

2/ Inaugural Lectures

💬 Provide an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of professors in the Institute of Population Health as they share their work to an audience of members of the university community and the wider public.

Inaugural lecture: Professor Daniel Pope Title: The Killer in the Kitchen! How do we know and what can we do? Date: 05 March 2026

Problem overview slide: Traditional use of solid fuels and kerosene Solid fuels (wood, charcoal, crop waste etc) used for household energy • Cooking • Heating • Lighting Three billion people around the world rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating their homes.

Talk overview slide How do we know? The Emergence of Household Air Pollution as a global health priority: Historical Turning Points 1. The first evert randomised control trial (RCT) of an improved cookstove intervention (2001-2007) 2. The Global Burden of Disease Study (2010) 3. The WHO Air Quality Guidelines for Household Fuel Combustion (2014) What can we do? Universal Access to Clean Modern Energy (Sustainable Development Goal 7) 1. Cameroon LACE Studies (2015-2018) 2. NICE CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Unit (2018-2027) 3. What now??? A critical time and a significant priority.

Ending slide: We know change is needed! • Still 1 billion people rely on polluting fuels for cooking in Africa • 740,000 lives lost each year • Context: Each day, over 1,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa die prematurely from cooking with polluting fuels • Change is available, acceptable, affordable – cooking with clean fuels • BUT – need to empower, mobilise and support communities • Population transition to clean cooking is needed, recognized and action is being taken but is this the right action?!

1/ Yesterday we had an informative and engaging inaugural lecture by our colleague Daniel Pope (Professor of Global Public Health).

🍲 “The Killer in the Kitchen! How do we know and what can we do?”

🔗 Dan’s research profile: www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/danie...

Abstract Infection with pnuemococcus bacteria is generally mild but can be more severe in the young and elderly, causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Although paediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) programmes and elderly pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) programmes have reduced cases, we estimate that pneumococcal infection still leads to direct health care costs of around \pounds68M and approximately 16 thousand QALY losses in England per year. The public health situation is complicated by the large number of interacting serotypes, such that while serotype-specific vaccines reduced the target serotypes others arose to replace them. We develop a novel (relatively) low-dimensional model to capture the interaction of 26 common pneumococcal serotypes. The model is matched to English IPD data from 2000-2023 and to five carriage studies (conducted in 2001/02, 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2018). When combined with a health economic approach, this model allows us to calculate the willingness to pay for paediatric vaccination with PCV7 (introduced in England in 2006), PCV13 (introduced in England in 2010) and the future vaccination of both the young and elderly with PCV20, which offers protection against 20 serotypes. Due to rapid serotype replacement, we find that the introduction of PCV7 vaccination in 2006 was not cost effective - a result that could not have been anticipated at the time, but is supported by simple statistical fits to the IPD data. In contrast, switching to PCV13 in 2010 and switching to PCV20 in 2026 are both associated with a high willingness to pay for a single dose. Given pneumococcal disease has shifted over time to become predominantly in the older adult population, we find that switching from PPV23 to PCV20 vaccination in those aged 65 and introducing an additional PCV20 vaccine at age 75 are both cost effective for a sufficiently low vaccine price.

📄 New preprint: A model-based evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of paediatric & elderly vaccination against pneumococcal infection in England #IDSky #EpiSky 🧪

✍️ Authors: @mattkeeling.bsky.social | Omar El Deeb | Phuong Bich Tran | Stavros Petrou | @edmhill.bsky.social

🔗: doi.org/10.64898/202...

1/ 🎙️ New 'Health Data Decoded' episode! #SciComm

❓ What does it take to manage research programmes & partnerships?

👤 With Claire Smith (Head of Research Programmes) & Emma Lo (Programme Manager), Civic Health Innovation Labs.

📹: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PLv...

🎧: open.spotify.com/episode/29kv...

Meet Beth and Liz, two of the inspiring @liverpooluni.bsky.social
scientists who will be at Meet the Scientists next Saturday! Head down to the World Museum between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 7th March 🧫🔭⚗️🧬🥼🧪🦠

@therexuol.bsky.social @livunihls.bsky.social @livuninews.bsky.social

📢 Next week is Open Research Week 2026! Mon 2 - Fri 6 March.
A free series of events exploring new, developing & current practices in #OpenResearch.
UoL is proud to help lead this national event @liverpooluni.bsky.social 📚📬

👉 Register here: www.liverpool.ac.uk/open-researc...

Applications are open for our Master of Public Health (MPH) programme! #PostgraduateStudy #MastersDegree #MPH #PublicHealth

🗓️ MPH application deadlines:
🌍 International students: 21 August 2026
🇬🇧 UK students: 11 September 2026

🔗: www.liverpool.ac.uk/courses/mast...

🗓️ Save the date - Meet the Scientists will be back on Saturday 7th March! Head down to the World Museum for a fun filled day of science suitable for the whole family 🧑🏽‍🔬 Discover why birds migrate, how medicines really work and what makes volcanoes go boom, and much more!

A navy blue title card that reads 'Prof Daniel Pope, Inaugural Lecture' in white writing surrounded by white outlined boxes. To the right is a picture of Professor Daniel Pope.

Join Professor Daniel Pope for his inaugural lecture, 'The Killer in the Kitchen! How do we know and what can we do?'.

Register bit.ly/3MjKqR2

🗓️Thursday 5 March
🕠17:30 - 19:30
📍 LT7, Rendall Building

@liverpooluni.bsky.social | #TeamLivUni

New University of Liverpool-US collaboration to accelerate drug discovery using AI - University of Liverpool News New University of Liverpool-US collaboration to accelerate drug discovery using AI

Artificial Intelligence will be used to accelerate new medicine discovery in a @liverpooluni.bsky.social partnership secured following @metromayorsteve.bsky.social’s US trade mission.

👉 news.liverpool.ac.uk/2026/02/05/n...

Inaugural lecture: Professor Daniel Pope Title: The Killer in the Kitchen! How do we know and what can we do? Each day, over 1,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa die prematurely from cooking with polluting fuels. Globally, three billion people rely on unsafe household energy. Scaling clean fuels is now a major public health priority. The work of Professor Dan Pope and colleagues has been central to evidencing these risks and shaping WHO prevention guidelines. This inaugural lecture traces over 20 years of public health research on the “Killer in the Kitchen,” from the Guatemalan Highlands to East and Central Africa. Dan Pope reflects on mentorship, collaboration, and advancing clean energy access, concluding with insights from the NIHR CLEAN‑Air(Africa) Global Health Research Unit. Date: Thursday 5 March Time: 17:30 - 19:30 Venue: Lecture Theatre 7, Rendall Building, University of Liverpool. Lecture followed by an informal drinks reception.

📣 Upcoming inaugural lecture: Daniel Pope (Professor of Global Public Health in @livuni-phps.bsky.social)

🍲 “The Killer in the Kitchen! How do we know and what can we do?"

🗓️17:30-19:30, Thu 05 Mar 2026
📍LT7, Rendell Building, University of Liverpool

🎟️: www.ticketsource.co.uk/university-o...

Consultations about randomised controlled trials are shorter and less in-depth for socioeconomically disadvantaged patients compared to socioeconomically advantaged patients: qualitative analysis acro... Background Patients from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are underserved in randomised controlled trials, yet they experience a much greater burden of disease compared with patients from s...

3/ Associated research

📄 "Consultations about randomised controlled trials are shorter and less in-depth for socioeconomically disadvantaged patients compared to socioeconomically advantaged patients: qualitative analysis across three trials"

🔗: doi.org/10.1186/s130...

/end

Talk title: Making clinical trials more inclusive by using behavioural science to improve communication (COMMCLUSIVE)’ Speaker bio: Dr Frances Sherratt is an NIHR Advanced Research Fellow, based in the Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems. Fran's 3-year Fellowship started in January 2026 and focuses on making clinical trials more inclusive by using behavioural science to improve communication. Prior to starting the Fellowship, Fran co-led the development of the INCLUDE Socioeconomic Disadvantage Framework - a tool to support trialists to design and deliver inclusive trials. Fran has worked at the University of Liverpool since 2015, primarily conducting qualitative studies embedded in clinical trials to improve informed consent and trial recruitment.

2/ COMMCLUSIVE

🗣️ Inclusive communication ➡️ Improve access to trials ➡️ Improve health for all

👇 Three-part project plan

1️⃣ Qualitative study
2️⃣ Develop communication toolkit
3️⃣ Feasibility & process evaluation

1/ 🎤 Today's PHPS forum was on "Making clinical trials more inclusive by using behavioural science to improve communication (COMMCLUSIVE)" #PublicHealth 🧪

🗣️ Speaker: Dr Frances Sherratt, NIHR Advanced Research Fellow.

🔗 Frances’s research profile: www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/franc...

One fully funded PhD Studentship at the University of Liverpool: Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment University of Liverpool - Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems Qualification Type: PhD Location: Liverpool Funding for: UK Students Funding amount: £20,780 Funding covers student fees and a monthly stipend, set at the standard UKRI rate (full time £20,780 in 2025/26) Hours: Full Time Placed On: 21st January 2026 Closes: 1st March 2026

This fully funded studentship is supported by a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) programme which aims to understand how we can change the food environment to prevent diet-related disease and obesity. The studentship will be primarily based at the host institute (University of Liverpool). Students will be actively encouraged to engage with and learn from the collaborating institutes in the programme. Each studentship has a dedicated budget for personalised training, study visits and external placements, which we anticipate students will use during the studentship. Students will also become members of the NIHR academy (www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/nihr-academy): a dedicated network to support their training and development as a researcher. This funded PhD studentship is open to applicants with a strong quantitative background in a range of disciplines, including, but not limited to, public health, epidemiology, health psychology, data science, and demography. Candidates should have a 1st class honours degree (undergraduate) and/or a Distinction at Master's level. Relevant research experience and experience working with R software are desirable. Ideal candidates will also have a strong commitment to policy-relevant research and enthusiasm for tackling health inequalities through rigorous analytical and simulation modelling. For submission, please email your CV (including overall degree classifications to date and any relevant research experience), university transcripts (including grades), a research proposal, and a detailed cover letter outlining why you are applying and why you are well qualified for the position by 01/03/26 (latest) to Prof Martin O’Flaherty: moflaher@liverpool.ac.uk. If you wish to make an informal inquiry before submission, please contact both Prof Martin O’Flaherty and Dr Edi Putra (ediputra@liverpool.ac.uk) in the same email.

5/ 🎓 Eligibility continued

▶️ Relevant research experience and experience working with R software are desirable.

▶️ Strong commitment to policy-relevant research and enthusiasm for tackling health inequalities through rigorous analytical and simulation modelling.

/end

One fully funded PhD Studentship at the University of Liverpool: Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment University of Liverpool - Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems Qualification Type: PhD Location: Liverpool Funding for: UK Students Funding amount: £20,780 Funding covers student fees and a monthly stipend, set at the standard UKRI rate (full time £20,780 in 2025/26) Hours: Full Time Placed On: 21st January 2026 Closes: 1st March 2026

This fully funded studentship is supported by a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) programme which aims to understand how we can change the food environment to prevent diet-related disease and obesity. The studentship will be primarily based at the host institute (University of Liverpool). Students will be actively encouraged to engage with and learn from the collaborating institutes in the programme. Each studentship has a dedicated budget for personalised training, study visits and external placements, which we anticipate students will use during the studentship. Students will also become members of the NIHR academy (www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/nihr-academy): a dedicated network to support their training and development as a researcher. This funded PhD studentship is open to applicants with a strong quantitative background in a range of disciplines, including, but not limited to, public health, epidemiology, health psychology, data science, and demography. Candidates should have a 1st class honours degree (undergraduate) and/or a Distinction at Master's level. Relevant research experience and experience working with R software are desirable. Ideal candidates will also have a strong commitment to policy-relevant research and enthusiasm for tackling health inequalities through rigorous analytical and simulation modelling. For submission, please email your CV (including overall degree classifications to date and any relevant research experience), university transcripts (including grades), a research proposal, and a detailed cover letter outlining why you are applying and why you are well qualified for the position by 01/03/26 (latest) to Prof Martin O’Flaherty: moflaher@liverpool.ac.uk. If you wish to make an informal inquiry before submission, please contact both Prof Martin O’Flaherty and Dr Edi Putra (ediputra@liverpool.ac.uk) in the same email.

4/ 🎓 Eligibility

▶️ Strong quantitative background in a range of disciplines, including, but not limited to, public health, epidemiology, health psychology, data science & demography.

▶️ Have a 1st class honours degree (undergraduate) and/or a Distinction at Master's level.

One fully funded PhD Studentship at the University of Liverpool: Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment University of Liverpool - Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems Qualification Type: PhD Location: Liverpool Funding for: UK Students Funding amount: £20,780 Funding covers student fees and a monthly stipend, set at the standard UKRI rate (full time £20,780 in 2025/26) Hours: Full Time Placed On: 21st January 2026 Closes: 1st March 2026

We have an exciting PhD opportunity at the University of Liverpool in the Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems. This fully funded PhD position will examine the impacts of public health policy interventions targeting the food environment in addressing obesity and diet-related illnesses. The PhD will contribute to two main activities. First, the successful applicant will contribute to a local food intake survey to examine daily nutrient intake and understand the contributions of the out-of-home (OOH) and non-OOH sectors, as well as exposures to the obesogenic food environment. Second, the PhD students will use simulation models to quantify the impacts of policy interventions aimed at improving the food environment. The PhD also offers substantial flexibility in choosing public health policy options (e.g., fiscal policy, food labelling, reformulation, policies affecting food availability and affordability) to be modelled. We encourage applicants to suggest policy interventions they are particularly interested in exploring during this PhD, as well as to check our previous studies to understand the type of policies that can be modelled. The successful candidate will join the internationally recognised NCD Prevention and Food Policy Modelling Group and Theme with an excellent record of supervising PhD students and publishing in high-impact journals. Building on established IMPACT modelling approaches, the student will also analyse linked longitudinal data, nutritional survey data, risk factor trends, and disease trajectories to simulate the impacts of policy interventions on reducing disease burden. These models have previously informed WHO global sodium benchmarks, the redesign of the NHS Health Check, CMO reports, OECD analyses, and major national policy decisions. The PhD student will also be offered the opportunity to use other modelling approaches from our own group and collaborating institutes.

3/ Further info

📍 Location: University of Liverpool, UK

💰 Funding: Covers student fees & monthly stipend, set at standard UKRI rate (full time £20,780 in 2025/26). Also a dedicated budget for personalised training, study visits & external placements.

📅 Application deadline: 01 March 2026

2/ 🧪 Scientific overview: Examine the impacts of public health policy interventions targeting the food environment in addressing obesity and diet-related illnesses.

🏫 Join the non-communicable diseases (NCD) Prevention and Food Policy Modelling Group & Theme

🔗: www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-h...

One fully funded PhD Studentship at the University of Liverpool: Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment at University of Liverpool Discover a One fully funded PhD Studentship at the University of Liverpool: Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other PhD opportunities.

1/ 🚨 Funded #PhD studentship for UK students: ‘Modelling the Impacts of Changing the Food Environment’ #AcademicJobs #ResearchJobs #PublicHealth

❓ Would you like to help improve our understanding in how we can change the food environment to prevent diet-related disease & obesity?

👇for further info

10/ ...

7️⃣ Foster proficiency in qualitative or quantitative research methods, applying techniques to analyse health data and demonstrating awareness of ethical considerations in implementing interventions.

/end

9/ ...

6️⃣ Design, conduct, and disseminate evidence from small-scale studies or evidence synthesis, curating and appraising data to support decisions on healthcare interventions.

...

8/ ...

4️⃣ Apply entrepreneurial frameworks to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and how to communicate these solutions clearly and persuasively.

5️⃣ Develop expertise in crisis management, applying theories and models to manage policy crises.

...