Issue 228 • 20 January 2011 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community blue skies, green aviation machine The tail-less, low noise, low drag, fuel-efficient planes of the future, being designed at Imperial > Centre pages New Year miNi profile QuaNtum HoNours Salman Rawaf computers Imperial staff on tackling What they can recognised global health do and how for service to problems they are set to change our lives science PAGE 8 PAGE 3 PAGE 8 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 20 January 2011 • Issue 228 $1.5 million in gates funding for neglected diseases eDItor’s C orner A group at Imperial dedicated to consuming the eggs of the tapeworm, by eliminating neglected tropical diseases contamination of food or water with fae- (NTDs) has received $1.5 million from ces from infected humans. These eggs our turn the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to grow into cysts in the tissues, including improve control of a disease passed to the brain, where they can cause severe humans by pigs. neurological problems such as epilepsy. surveys, stats and The Schistosomiasis Control For the last eight years, the SCI has Bill Gates, pictured on the South Kensington Campus during his visit feedback are part and Initiative (SCI) based in the School of been involved in delivering drugs to treat to Imperial in May 2009. parcel of modern life – Public Health will research how efforts NTDs across sub-Saharan Africa but until from telephone operators to combat the tapeworm infection cyst- recently zoonotic diseases – those trans- to people you’ve bought a icercosis can be integrated into existing mitted from animals to humans – have resources available in the pair of shoes from on eBay, prevention programmes. not been considered for funding as part most effective way to benefit everyone wants you to ‘rate The tapeworm Taenia solium, of the programme. the most vulnerable communi- their service’. Like most acquired by eating infected pork, “It’s vitally important that we explore ties,” said Dr Wendy Harrison, universities, the emphasis resides in the human gut, where it nor- ways to further maximise the impact Deputy Director of the SCI. on evaluation at Imperial mally causes little harm to the affected of existing NTD control programmes, —sam Wong, CommuniCations and can seem focused on person. Cysticercosis is caused by to ensure that we’re using the limited dEvElopmEnt what students or research peers think, but this week the 2011 Imperial staff survey launched, giving tackling food related health staff the opportunity to inequalities in Indian populations have their say about the College and how well affect Indian com- they are supported. In my munities, for exam- experience Imperial staff ple by providing aren’t shy of giving their them with specific opinions – something which dietary advice. keeps Reporter’s ‘Inside Professor Peter Story’ section interesting. Burney and Dr This issue you can read Vanessa Garcia comments on page 9 from Larsen (both NHLI) Debby shorley, Director are co-investigators of Library services on on this BBSRC pro- her mission to change the Researchers from Imperial, the Institute ject. Commenting on landscape for university of Food Research, and the Universities of the award, Dr Garcia journal subscriptions. Mysore, Bangalore and Hisar in India have Larsen said: “Under- The last questions of the been awarded a £20,000 BBSRC grant to standing the dietary Staff Survey are the most investigate food-related health issues that habits of Indian intriguing. For example “If are specific to Indian populations in the populations in their it were possible, what one UK and India. native countries and thing would you change There are several conditions which after migrating into about working at Imperial?” seem to exert disproportionate effects the UK will help us I can’t wait to hear your on the health of Indians living in India tackle the effect of how do we answers. While I’m guilty and the UK. These include cardiovascu- diet and low income of averting my gaze from lar diseases, which occur 10 to 15 years on diseases related measure up? supermarket volunteers earlier in Indian populations than in to malnutrition doing questionnaires, this Caucasian populations. in ethnic minori- is one form I’m going to be Another condition is obesity, which ties.” Professor ...take the 2011 Staff filling in. affects 55 million people in India. Associ- Burney added: “This Survey to help shape up Emily Ross, EditoR ated with this, diabetes is on the rise and research will allow Indians have a higher risk of developing us to identify the your workplace. Reporter is published every three weeks during term time the condition than Caucasians. main food-related in print and online. The next The overriding aims of this research, health inequalities publication day is 10 February. which will investigate links between diet, and their impact on Contact Emily Ross: income and health within Indian popu- diseases.” DeaDliNe >>> 4 February 2011 [email protected] —REspiRatoRy www.imperial.ac.uk/staffsurvey2011 +44 (0)20 7594 6715 lations, is to inform new approaches to EpidEmiology and publiC tackling health conditions that positively HEaltH Group, nHLI 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 20 January 2011 • Issue 228 >> newsupdate $150 million gift to new Year Honours for Singapore medical school Imperial staff and alumni Research Council’s Clinical said: “Tan Sri Dato Lee Sciences Centre, which is part had a vision to use his of the Faculty of Medicine. wealth not for personal Commenting on the honour, betterment but to improve Lindsay said: “I am not sure I society as a whole. His deserve it above many other selflessness and generos- people. I got the letter in mid- ity will be an inspiration November, I recall after a visit to the students of this to the dentist! It was hard medical school named in to keep it quiet and the only honour of him.” people I told in advance were Professor Stephen my wife (who was delighted, Smith, founding Dean of although her immediate the new medical school reaction was to burst into and Pro Rector (Health) Staff from Imperial, both tears) and my mum.” at Imperial, said: “To be past and present, have been David Gentry, the former bestowed a magnificent recognised in the Queen’s Safety Manager in the Faculty on 4 January nanyang by Prime Minister Mr gift to help us fulfil our New Year Honours for 2011. of Natural Sciences, was also technological ­University Lee Hsien Loong at his vision of attracting the Linda Jones, Faculty recognised with an MBE for (ntu) announced that the National Day Rally speech most able students is a Projects Manager (Natural services to science. David lee Foundation has made on 29 August 2010. The wonderful start to the life Sciences) and Operations left the College recently after a gift of $150 million agreement was officially of the new school.” Manager (Physics), has been more than 40 years’ employ- ­Singaporean dollars to signed by the two univer- Half of the gift – made a Member of the Order ment, having first joined the new ­Singapore medi- sities on 29 October 2010. $75 million – is specifi- of the British Empire (MBE) in 1966 as an electronics cal school with half of In recognition of the cally designated for an for services to science. Linda apprentice, before becoming the sum going directly gift, the new medical endowment fund offering said: “I offer my sincere a research technician, and to needy students. school at NTU will be student financial aid in thanks to those who initiated then moving into health and thanks to the singapore named the Lee Kong the form of scholarships, and supported my nomina- safety work. government’s pledge Chian School of Med- bursaries and other tion, and I am absolutely Several Imperial alumni to provide enhanced icine, after Tan Sri forms of student finan- truly delighted to add this were also recognised with matching to endowed Dato Lee Kong Chian cial support. The remain- award to my Associateship of Honours, including Sir Ron donations to the new who founded the Lee ing $75 million will form Imperial College. These are Kerr, former student at St medical school, ntu will Foundation in 1952 to another endowment fund very exciting times, as I will Mary’s School for Medicine, receive a gift amounting help the poor and needy for the advancement of also become a grandmother who received a knighthood to $400 million. and for the advancement medical education and next month.” for services to healthcare. of education, medicine clinical research at the Lindsay Green has been —simon Watts, CommuniCations and The new medical school, and cultural activities. new medical school. awarded an MBE for services dEvElopmEnt a partnership by Imperial A spokesman for the —nanyang TechnologiCal to science. He is the Adminis- For the full list of honours visit: and NTU, was announced NTU Board of Trustees university relEasE trative Director at the Medical http://bit.ly/ec1Wdf Head of the stonewall’s Workplace director of iCon results ­Department Equality index marketing Imperial Consultants, which provides external of Computing Imperial has been named one of Ms Laura Barker has organisations with access to research equipment and experts at the College for Professor Susan the UK’s top 100 employers for les- been appointed Director bian, gay and bisexual people for of Marketing. She will consultancy work, recently announced its in brief Eisenbach, results for the year 2009–10. The company Professor of the second year running. Imperial’s report to the Pro Rector helped to generate nearly £5 million of addi- Computing and place at number 87 in Stonewall’s (Enterprise), Mr Edward tional income for departments over the year Dean of Learning 2011 Workplace Equality Index Astle, and be accountable through negotiating the provision of services to and Teaching, has makes it one of only five universi- to a stakeholder group, external organisations, and made an additional been appointed ties in the top 100.