Our Mission
Cambridge Infectious Diseases Interdisciplinary Research Centre aims to integrate multidisciplinary thinking, discovery, and translational approaches, as well as international collaboration, to advance the field of infectious disease research.
Established in 2010 as a Strategic Research Initiative of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Infectious Diseases has matured into a leading international centre for research and teaching that focuses on infectious diseases and the impact these have on national and global health. Connecting researchers across Cambridge, we help spark ideas for new areas of research as well as providing flexibility and expansion possibilities for traditional disciplines to address complex infectious disease problems. Our virtual community has expanded to include over 30 different departments and institutes, representing multiple disciplines in all six schools, from Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, through to Biological and Physical Sciences and Clinical Medicine.
Combating infectious diseases remains as important as ever. A combination of basic and applied research has led to some extraordinary success stories, but history tells us that the emergence of a new infectious disease that goes on to threaten the health of the global population is a likely scenario. Furthermore, success can have a limited shelf life, as exemplified by the development of a plethora of antimicrobial drugs followed by continual erosion of their efficacy through the emergence of resistance.
The infectious disease research being undertaken at the University reinforces that the area is a strategic strength of Cambridge. The work is broad and ranges from fundamental biological research through to the development of new drugs, as well as understanding the history of infectious diseases. Amongst our infectious diseases priorities are novel and re-emerging pathogens, infectious diseases at the human-animal interface, pathogen population genetics and transmission dynamics, and antimicrobial resistance.
One of the challenges faced by any University is to define mechanisms whereby research efforts can be coordinated to achieve synergies between different departments and areas of expertise. The Cambridge Infectious Diseases Interdisciplinary Research Centre is helping to meet this need by providing a platform to catalyse new research, funding support, skills development, industry interaction and public engagement. At the core of our activities is promoting networking through various meetings and events, supporting early career researchers, and providing pathways to impact through organizing public engagement and outreach activities, including active involvement in the Cambridge Science Festival.
Professor James Wood
Dr Lydia Drumright
Co-Chairs, Cambridge Infectious Diseases