Public Health, Policy and Systems @ University of Liverpool

3/ Forum talk speakers

👤 Dr. Esther Kalkman is a health & environmental scientist & postdoctoral researcher: www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/esthe...

👤 Prof Dan Pope is Professor of Global Public Health & Epidemiology. Leads the Energy, Air Pollution & Health Research Group within PHPS

/end

YouTube video by University of Liverpool Healthy kitchens: Clearing the air for African schools

2/ Associated research article & media

📄 "Air pollution and health in Rwandan and Kenyan schools cooking with polluting fuels: a cross-sectional impact study"
doi.org/10.1016/j.en...

📽️ Documentary film on "Healthy kitchens: Clearing the air for African schools": www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo3k...

Talk title: Lessons from smoky kitchens: Unveiling the hidden burden from wood-fuelled cooking in sub-Saharan African schools Abstract: In 90% of sub-Saharan African schools, meals are prepared on polluting wood stoves, posing a major health risk to staff and learners. Our latest research from schools in Rwanda and Kenya has found dangerously high levels of air pollution from wood-fuelled cooking, highlighting serious health concerns for millions of school populace. Using clean fuels like LPG and electricity in schools, as recommended by the WHO, can protect cooks, children, and the environment. Our global health research partnership calls for urgent action to accelerate the transition to clean cooking in schools and aims to support such transitions with impact evidence (health, education and environment) that can inform policy on the most effective solutions. Speaker: Dr. Esther Kalkman is a health and environmental scientist and a postdoctoral researcher at the NIHR CLEAN-Air (Africa) Global Health Research Unit.

About CLEAN-Air(Africa) The NIHR CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Unit is a collaboration of international experts in environmental public health from the UK, Kenya, Cameroon, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda. The partnership implements research, health systems strengthening, and capacity-building activities across the five focus countries with the explicit objective to address the health burden from household and institutional air pollution from reliance on polluting solid fuels (e.g., wood, charcoal, coal, and biomass) and kerosene. CLEAN-Air(Africa) aims to provide policy-relevant evidence to raise population awareness of the issue and to support prevention through the transition to clean fuels and energy for cooking.

CLEAN-Air(Africa): Main Aims To facilitate transition for vulnerable communities and public institutions to clean cooking to address health, environment, climate and gender impacts from reliance on polluting fuels. To evaluate chronic and hidden additional health burdens from household air pollution that can be addressed through clean cooking. To advocate for disease prevention from reductions in air pollution through national clinical and community health systems strengthening. Investing in the future; to develop a sub-Saharan African Air Pollution Centre of Excellence through capacity building, training and investment. Maximising impact through community and stakeholder engagement.

Key activities under CLEAN-Air(Africa) The Unit builds on research, capacity and health systems strengthening initiated under the NIHR CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Group in Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana. The Group was launched in 2018 and has achieved significant impact since this time in three key areas to address the global public health burden from reliance on polluting solid fuels and kerosene for household energy. Exposure to household air pollution: Using state of the art monitoring equipment to quantify adult and child health impacts from exposure to air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels. Transition to clean cooking: Identifying and addressing barriers to cooking with clean fuels. Informing clean energy policy in sub-Saharan Africa. Strengthening health systems: Training clinical and community health workforces in primary and secondary prevention of household air pollution.

1/ 🎤 Today's PHPS forum was on "Lessons from smoky kitchens: Unveiling the hidden burden from wood-fuelled cooking in sub-Saharan African schools" #PublicHealth

🗣️ Speakers: Dr Esther Kalkman & Prof Dan Pope

💨 Featured work by NIHR CLEAN-AIR (Africa) Global Health Research Unit: cleanairafrica.com

Photo of some of the participants from the University of Liverpool Public Health, Policy and Systems Postgraduate Research presentation day, held on 16 September 2025 in The Library at the Guild. The presentation day featured two forms of presentation (5-minute lightning talks and 15-minute talks), with contributions from 11 postgraduate researchers at different stages of their research to a broad audience that provided varied feedback, rich discussions and networking opportunities.

Many staff were also in attendance to support our PGR community and learn about their exciting research. Prizes were awarded to the following talks: 5-min talk: Louise Allen - “A Core Outcome Set for Children with Cerebral Visual Impairment plus Profound Learning Disabilities” 15-min talk: Rosalyn Arnold - “Food insecurity in households with children”

📣 Event news: Our first PHPS Postgraduate Research presentation day was held on 16 Sep 2025!

🎤 Event had two forms of presentation: 5-minute lightning talks and 15-minute talks.

👥 Contributions from 11 PGRs

🎉 Congrats to talk prize winners Louise Allen (5 min talk) & Rosalyn Arnold (15 min talk)!

We’re celebrating breaking into the global top 150 and rising 17 places in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, now ranked 143rd - our highest-ever position! 🏆

What a year for us - we’re so proud of you #TeamLivUni 💙

Read more: news.liverpool.ac.uk/2025/10/09/u...

Meijie Chu Meijie is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Health Inequalities Policy Research Group (HIP-R). Her work primarily focuses on the project MATRIARCH: MATeRnal, InfAnt, Reproductive & Child Health in Cystic Fibrosis, which investigates the impact of cystic fibrosis during pregnancy, parenthood, and in offspring, as well as the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) project, which examines how family size influences child health outcomes and service use. Meijie earned her PhD from the School of Public Health at Xiamen University, China. Her research interests center on applying cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis to explore health determinants and improve public health, particularly among vulnerable populations. In addition, she is deeply interested in health inequalities within the broader social science context. Meijie aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for health management and policies that shape people’s health and well-being.

Sandra Clare I have come to Liverpool as a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the CHESS (Civic Health Equity: from Silos to Systems) project. I am a community educator and was a researcher as part of the Pen Green Centre for Children and Families for over 20 years, where I developed inclusive, collaborative approaches to research and adult learning. I hold a PhD in Education from the University of Manchester, where I employed a feminist standpoint to examine young student-mothering combining storytelling, secondary analysis of population data, and legal-herstorical research to illuminate intersecting structural barriers and injustices Alongside my doctoral work, I taught a lot and contributed to various research projects each with a broader focus of educational equity. Most recently, this involved an intergenerational project with neighbours of the University of Manchester to co-produce oral histories and archival research, recovering the stories of Ellen Wilkinson and other local women whose contributions to social justice have been largely erased from mainstream history. In my spare time I love urban walking, photography, travelling, and trying new places to sup cask ales.

📣 Introducing some of our recent PHPS new starters! #PublicHealth

👤 Meijie Chu: PDRA with @livunihipr.bsky.social working on the project MATRIARCH (MATeRnal, InfAnt, Reproductive & Child Health in Cystic Fibrosis).

👤 Sandra Clare: PDRA on CHESS project (Civic Health Equity: from Silos to Systems).

👋 A warm welcome to the new students who are joining us in the Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems!

🎉 We look forward to working with you & hope you enjoy your time a the University of Liverpool. @liverpooluni.bsky.social

#TeamLivUni @livunihls.bsky.social @livuni-iph.bsky.social

Big week for #TeamLivUni! 🎉 We’ve climbed five places to 18th in the UK in The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 — our best ranking in over a decade!

Read more ➡️ news.liverpool.ac.uk/2025/09/19/t...

And that’s a wrap on the 194th British Science Festival! 🎉
For four days, Liverpool was alive with inspiring talks, hands-on experiences, and city-wide celebrations of science!

We were proud to help shape this year’s programme, with research from across all three Faculties showcased. 🙌

Who is this for? Applicants must have a first degree in a discipline relevant to public health research and will be expected to complete a PhD during the award period. Candidates should also ensure they meet the eligibility criteria of the host institution (please see individual university websites for details). Your application will be assessed using the following criteria as part of the application shortlisting process: - A first or upper second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate subject (qualifications, or a combination of qualifications and experience, which demonstrate equivalent ability and attainment will also be considered) - Previous research experience or formal training (e.g. a Master’s degree) is desirable - Relevant previous research experience - Output from previous research experience - Evidence of commitment to a research career - Evidence of potential as a career researcher - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Supportive academic references - Highly motivated - Able to work both independently and as part as part of a team - Able to plan and manage own work

5/ 🎓 Eligibility continued

▶️ Evidence of potential as a career researcher
▶️ Excellent written and verbal communication skills
▶️ Supportive academic references
▶️ Highly motivated
▶️ Able to work both independently and as part as part of a team
▶️ Able to plan and manage own work

/end

Who is this for? Applicants must have a first degree in a discipline relevant to public health research and will be expected to complete a PhD during the award period. Candidates should also ensure they meet the eligibility criteria of the host institution (please see individual university websites for details). Your application will be assessed using the following criteria as part of the application shortlisting process: - A first or upper second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate subject (qualifications, or a combination of qualifications and experience, which demonstrate equivalent ability and attainment will also be considered) - Previous research experience or formal training (e.g. a Master’s degree) is desirable - Relevant previous research experience - Output from previous research experience - Evidence of commitment to a research career - Evidence of potential as a career researcher - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Supportive academic references - Highly motivated - Able to work both independently and as part as part of a team - Able to plan and manage own work

4/ 🎓 Eligibility

▶️ First or upper second class UK honours degree, or equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate subject (activities demonstrate equivalent ability & attainment considered)

▶️ Previous research experience or formal training (e.g. a Master’s degree) desirable

Overview Shape the future of public health with a fully funded PhD at the University of Liverpool. Join a world-leading team using cutting-edge data science and AI to tackle real-world challenges—like homelessness, housing, and urban health—driving policy change and health equity across Liverpool. About this opportunity Are you passionate about making a difference for people’s health and wellbeing? Want to learn cutting edge data science skills for real impact? The University of Liverpool University is excited to announce two fully funded three-year PhD studentship, starting in January 2026. The PhDs will be based in the Liverpool Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/hdrc-liverpool/ a pioneering initiative aiming to boost research capacity and capability within Liverpool City Council to develop evidence for better health outcomes for all.

You will work with and be supported by world leading academic expertise as part of the University of Liverpool’s Heath Inequalities policy research Group (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-health/research/groups/health-inequalities-policy/ a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Policy Research on Determinants of Health Equity and the Civic Health Innovation Lab (CHIL) that is leading new models for progressive data uses and responsible artificial intelligence in civil society, fuelling innovations for health, social and economic advancement. The PhD studentships will support successful candidates to undertake research in priority areas identified by Liverpool City Council. Developing new insights for early identification of need and evaluation of effective and cost-effective actions on health in one or more of the following areas: - Homelessness – developing tools to support early identification of people at risk of homelessness and evaluating effective prevention initiatives. - Housing – developing models to inform housing strategy and assessing the cost / benefits of alternative approaches. - Healthy urban places – developing healthy urban regeneration and evaluating what works for health promoting urban environments. - Understanding effective economic strategies for Liverpool that are inclusive, reduce poverty and promote health and wellbeing. We welcome applications that align with these themes with a focus on using data driven approaches that maximize the benefits of using linked civic data across sectors (health, local government, Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise). The successful candidate should have some prior research or relevant practice experience and a passion for addressing health equity.

Funding your PhD Fully funded studentship (Home student fees (UK and Northern Ireland only), stipend and a small budget to cover research costs) for UK students only. Contact us Have a question about this research opportunity or studying a PhD with us? Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below, and we’ll be happy to assist you. Professor Ben Barr: b.barr@liverpool.ac.uk

3/ Further info

📍 Location: University of Liverpool, UK

👥 Supervisors: @benjaminbarr.bsky.social | @breconomics.bsky.social

💰 Funding: Fully funded PhD position (Home student fees, stipend and a small budget to cover research costs) – funding is for three-years duration.

📅 Start Date: Jan 2026

Health Determinants Research Collaborations Liverpool - Liverpool City Council Liverpool's HDRC programme aims to boost local research opportunities and offer evidence that impacts better health outcomes for all.

2/ 🧪 Overview: Use data science & AI to tackle real-world challenges - e.g. homelessness, housing & urban health - driving policy change & health equity across Liverpool.

🏫 Based in Liverpool Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) - develop evidence for better health outcomes for all.

1/ 🚨 Two fully funded #PhD studentships for UK students

❓ Are you passionate about making a difference for people’s health and wellbeing? Would you like to learn cutting edge data science skills for real impact?

🔗: www.liverpool.ac.uk/courses/two-...

#AcademicJobs #ResearchJobs #PublicHealth

📣 Professor Sarah Rodgers Inaugural Lecture on 02 Oct 2025

🏙️ "Transforming Our Cities From the Ground Up
Connecting the dots between communities, systems & data"

🔗: www.ticketsource.co.uk/university-o...

👤 www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/sarah...

⬇️ View past @livuni-iph.bsky.social inaugural lectures

Five free things to do as British Science Festival arrives in city The festival is running a huge programme across the city

🎤 Talks by academics, inventors and writers!
🍄 Art installations!
🛼 Performances across the city!
🪨 British Science Festival X Liverpool Biennale!
👩🏽‍🔬 Meet the scientists!

Five FREE things to do at the British Science Festival this week! #BSF25 #Liverpool

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/wha...

🎉 Congratulations to our colleague Professor Martin O'Flaherty, appointed to a panel for the criteria-setting phase of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029. #REF2029

🔗 Read more about Martin's research: www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/marti...

📖 Read more on the REF2029 panel appointments ⬇️

Just one week to go until the British Science Festival opens in Liverpool! ✨

Talks, art, robots, music + more — all free to attend. More Info> news.liverpool.ac.uk/2025/09/03/c...

#BritishScienceFestival #BSF2025 #Liverpool

Liverpool expertise is helping shape REF 2029! 13 University of Liverpool academics have been appointed to expert panels across seven units of assessment and three Main Panels. Congratulations to all colleagues appointed 👏

Full list here ▶️ news.liverpool.ac.uk/2025/09/04/s...

#REF2029

🎙️ New episode of Civic Health Innovation Labs (@livunichil.bsky.social) released today, co-hosted by PHPS's
@edmhill.bsky.social!

📣 Find out about how we are using civic data to improve public health. #SciComm

🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbSyvI...

📹 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@HealthDataD...

A news title card that reads 'Liverpool unveils prototype low-cost personal air pollution monitor for Africa' in white text against a navy blue background. Pictured to the right is Professor Dan Pope and Dr Jonny Higham unveiling the Low-Cost Monitors.

NEWS | Professor Dan Pope from @livuni-phps.bsky.social and Dr Jonny Higham from the Department of Geography and Planning have developed a prototype low-cost air monitor, a new, affordable way to measure personal exposure to air pollution

➡️ bit.ly/4lHMJJl

#TeamLivUni

In the latest Original Ideas podcast episode, our researchers explore food’s impact on health and wellbeing, including:

🍟 Junk food advertising’s impact on children
🏡 How our environment shapes eating habits
📱 Social media’s influence on what we eat

Listen here: www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/ori...

News story: Liverpool unveils prototype low-cost personal air pollution monitor for Africa Published: 21 August 2025 Main text: The University of Liverpool has developed a new prototype low-cost monitor (LCM) designed to measure personal exposure to air pollution, offering an affordable tool for communities and health professionals worldwide. The project is a collaboration between Dr Jonny Higham, from the Department of Geography and Planning, and Professor Dan Pope, from the Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems aiming to reduce the burden of household air pollution (HAP). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) found in household air pollution (HAP) from combustion of solid fuels like wood, charcoal and kerosene is the largest environmental risk factor for global disease burden, responsible for 3.1 million deaths every year. The compact 8cm device records fine particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide at one-second resolution. Its battery lasts up to four days, and data can be accessed in real time via mobile phone or a dedicated web platform, with the option to download results as .csv files. The monitor also features a traffic light display aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines, making it particularly useful for community health workers and other frontline professionals.

The prototype was launched at the Central Africa LPG Expo in Cameroon, attracting strong interest from stakeholders, including potential investors. Following the event, several units were deployed in Mbalmayo, one of the University of Liverpool’s CLEAN-Air(Africa) Unit’s research communities in Central Cameroon, where they successfully captured real-time data on both ambient and personal exposure to pollution. During a training workshop for community health workers on household energy, air pollution and prevention, Professor Pope demonstrated how the monitors can be used to raise household awareness of harmful particulates. Community health workers highlighted the value of the devices in supporting their health messaging. The Liverpool LCMs will be finalised after further field testing in Mbalmayo. They will then be made available through the CLEAN-Air(Africa) Air Pollution Centre of Excellence at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Nairobi, directed by Dr James Mwitari, and through Douala General Hospital’s Air Pollution Research Centre in Cameroon, led by Professor Bertrand Mbatchou. Both UoL partner centres are equipped with state-of-the-art calibration and benchmarking facilities supported by CLEAN-Air(Africa) to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Professor Dan Pope said “We are delighted with the reception the monitors have received so far and how health practitioners in Africa are engaging with the technology. The monitors will be critical in raising awareness on the health impacts from air pollution and benefits from prevention through adoption of clean energy”. Directed by the University, CLEAN-Air(Africa) was launched in 2018 through NIHR Global Health Research funding (£10m over 9 years) and includes collaboration with leading public health researchers from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Cameroon and Ghana). The partnership is conducting policy relevant research and health systems strengthening to address non-communicable disease burden associated with reliance on polluting solid fuels for household energy. For more information about the Low-Cost Monitors, visit liverpoolsensors.co.uk or contact cleanairafrica@liverpool.ac.uk.

2/ Low-cost monitor details

📱 Compact 8cm device records fine particulate matter, volatile organic compounds & carbon dioxide at one-second resolution.

🚦 Features WHO aligned air quality guideline traffic light display.

🏥 Affordable tool for community health workers & health professionals

/end

1/ 📰 Liverpool unveils prototype low-cost personal air pollution monitor for Africa

💨 Aim to reduce the burden of household air pollution

🇨🇲 Prototype launched at Central Africa LPG Expo in Cameroon

👥 Collaboration including PHPS colleague Prof Dan Pope

#Science #Research #PublicHealth

Five health and humanity highlights from this year’s British Science Festival Among more than 100 free events at this year's British Science Festival are these talks on medicine, inequality, and healing that go beyond the science. We'll hear the voices, stories and lived experi...

British Science Festival #BSF25 is nearly here! Have you booked yet?

🦾 These five health and humanity highlights from the programme take a people-centred approach, sharing the voices, stories and lived experiences that shape modern healthcare 🧠

www.britishscienceassociation.org/Blog/five-he...

From 10–14 Sept, the British Science Festival transforms Liverpool into a playground for ideas. Join our researchers for hands-on science, from roller skating with viruses to robots making art. 🤖🧪

👉 All events are FREE – find out more: news.liverpool.ac.uk/2025/08/08/b...

@britsciassoc.bsky.social

❓ How do different types of mental health difficulties manifest in childhood & adolescence? How are these patterns shaped by early life socioeconomic disadvantage?

✍️ See research article co-authored by PHPS colleagues Yu Wei Chua, Daniela Schlüter & David Taylor-Robinson

🔗: doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

CLEAN-Air(Africa) NIHR Global Health Research Unit on CLEAN-Air(Africa)

2/ NIHR CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Unit

🗓️ Launched in 2022 with scaled research & capacity building agenda in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania & Uganda.

👤 Unit co-directed by PHPS colleague Prof Dan Pope

🔗 CLEAN-Air(Africa) and its activities: cleanairafrica.com

/end

We are closing the week with a celebration: 10 years of CLEAN-Air(Africa) in #Cameroon! | CLEAN-Air(Africa) We are closing the week with a celebration: 10 years of CLEAN-Air(Africa) in #Cameroon! A full decade of research, evidence generation, and advocacy to better inform the fight against #householdairp...

1/ 👏 University celebrates ten years of research in Cameroon

🗓️ In July 2015, research partnership launched between University of Liverpool & Douala General Hospital to tackle burden of disease from household air pollution. #PublicHealth

🔗: Celebration of ten years of impact on 26 July 2025👇

YouTube video by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust Immunisation catch-up clinics - Radio BBC Merseyside

Our Vaccinations and Immunisations Team spoke with
Radio BBC Merseyside about our immunisation catch up clinics across Merseyside 📻

The clinics aim to help protect children and young people, and prevent further spread of measles 👇🏽

youtu.be/rm7X1jTpops