ARC Wessex is entering a new phase until Spring 2026, as funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research has been extended for 18 months.
On October 1 ARC Wessex was five, the normal lifespan of an ARC, but this extra time allows us to it to add another 20 projects tp the portfolio.
Also changing has been the leadership team, with Professor Julie Parkes stepping down as the lead for the Healthy Communities research theme.
Professor Nisreen Alwan (MBE) now takes the lead for the Healthy Communities research theme.
Professor Julie Parkes' leadership of the Healthy Communities Theme has been instrumental in supporting research around chronic disease detection and prevention, childhood obesity, food insecurity and violence prevention among other research areas that address the region's health inequalities. We are very lucky to have had the wonderful experience of Julie's leadership and mentorship.
Nisreen has been working on projests covering childhood obesity and long covid, and has been was awarded an MBE for services to Medicine and Public Health during the COVID19 pandemic in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2021. She was also named amongst other inspiring and influential women from around the world in the BBC 100 Women 2020 list.
Professor Dianna Smith now takes up the role of deputy theme lead. Dianna has worked with the research team on mapping areas of food deprivation and food insecurity across England. Her work has been widely used by local councils to target at risk areas with support including food banks and pantries.
It will be a privilege to work with Nisreen and the ARC team to support the Healthy Communities theme in research engagement and impact. I look forward to collaborating with our partners and communities to identify priority topics and maximise their benefit from ongoing research.
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