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National University of Singapore and Tan Tock Seng Hospital collaborate to bring in Professor Eduardo Massad as the inaugural Visiting Professor under the Courage Fund Visiting Professorship/Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology
The Courage Fund, administered by the National Healthcare Group, was set up on 11 April 2003 during the difficult time when Singapore was threatened by the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus.
A grant of S$3 million was presented to the National University of Singapore (NUS) for the setting up of the Visiting Professorship/ Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology. The objective of this Professorship/Fellowship is to build up Singapore's expertise and capability in the areas of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease management and control.
The Courage Fund Visiting Professorship/Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology is vested with NUS' Faculty of Medicine. NUS will work in collaboration with the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) to focus on learning programmes that have direct application to the healthcare community.
A search committee was tasked to identify a world-renowned specialist in Infectious Diseases and/or Epidemiology. The committee short-listed Professor Eduardo Massad as the inaugural Visiting Professor under the Courage Fund. Professor Massad is a medical professional with extensive experience in the field of infectious disease epidemiology and the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases.
He has done a wide range of modelling work spanning Dengue, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, vaccine preventable diseases, parasitology, HIV and antimicrobial resistance. While in Singapore, he will share his expertise in modelling Dengue epidemics and other vector-borne diseases. He will also be consulted on potential applications of modelling for other diseases, including nosocomial infections and the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Mathematical modelling enables medical and research workers to discover the likely outcome of an epidemic or to help determine optimal control strategies against infectious diseases.
A key activity for Professor Massad's visit is the three-day seminar with public health and infectious disease physicians, microbiologists and research scientists from 26-28 April 2005 where he will share insights and knowledge on the modelling techniques, how to build a model, use of mathematical modelling on various diseases and future developments for infectious disease modelling.
Associate Professor Leo Yee Sin, Clinical Director of the Communicable Disease Centre, and Head of Infectious Disease, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and a member of the NUS Courage Fund Visiting Professorship Committee, said: "We are very pleased to have Professor Massad to share his expertise and knowledge on mathematical modelling of infectious diseases with us. We have learnt from SARS that Singapore needs to build up its expertise on in infectious disease and epidemiology management and control. And with this knowledge in mathematical modelling that the Singapore team can learn from Professor Massad, we will be better prepared as we plan strategies against these diseases."
About The Courage Fund Visiting Professorship/Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Scheme:
Under the Visiting Professorship/Fellowship scheme, international experts in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology will be appointed by NUS. These experts will contribute in various initiatives that serve to build up Singapore's capability in Epidemiology and Infectious Disease management & control. The modes of contribution may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) undertaking teaching and/or research at NUS, CDC and/or any other institutions identified as suitable
(b) providing expertise in projects on Epidemiology and Infectious Disease management & control in the area of clinical practice or research or policy development
(c) providing content and/or serve as a speaker for public seminars/conferences on Epidemiology and Infectious Disease management & control.
For more information, please contact:
Sophia Mah / Farren Fernandez
Executive, Corporate Communications
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Tel: 6357 8414 / 6357 8415
Pager: 9802 8046 / 9802 6811
Email: sophia_mah@ttsh.com.sg, farren_fernandez@ttsh.com.sg
Wong Joan May
Administrative Officer
Faculty of Medicine
National University of Singapore
Tel: 6874 3840
Email: medwjm@nus.edu.sg
Mr. Lawrence Chai
Manager (Media Relations)
Office of Corporate Relations
National University of Singapore
Tel: 6874 1355
Email: ocrlc@nus.edu.sg
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