Geneva, 17 October 2008 - UNAIDS congratulates Dr Peter Piot on his appointment as the first Director of the new Institute for Global Health at Imperial College London. He will spearhead the institute’s quest to find far-reaching solutions to health problems that blight underprivileged populations worldwide.
The institute’s priorities will be to coordinate work to tackle traditional and new infectious diseases, such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, which continue to be significant causes of premature death globally, especially in the poorest countries. It will also focus on chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, which are emerging as major health problems in many developing countries, and across Asia and the Middle East.
"Imperial College is a really dynamic place with a willingness to break down barriers between disciplines,” said Dr Peter Piot. “That’s exactly what is needed to fulfil our vision of an Institute for Global Health and I’m very excited to be joining the College and attempting to make that happen.” UNAIDS looks forward to extending its association with Dr Piot in his new assignment. He will leave UNAIDS at the end of 2008.
More details about the announcement can be found at http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/news
Contact UNAIDS
Edward Mishaud | Tel. +41 22 791 5587 | mishaude@unaids.org
