Michael Head's Avatar

Michael Head

@michaelghead.bsky.social

Academic and advocacy-enthusiast, at University of Southampton. Research/teaching covers #publichealth, #globalhealth, #NTDs, #vaccinehesitancy, #climateandhealth. Sometimes seen in #Ghana

115 Followers  |  301 Following  |  23 Posts  |  Joined: 09.05.2025
Posts Following

Posts by Michael Head (@michaelghead.bsky.social)

Post image

We hope you will enjoy our forthcoming webspace! Do share and encourage people to connect with us.

And so, more coming soon! (Once we’ve rolled out another teaser trailer or two in the meantime, naturally)

/ thread

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We’ll also potentially be able to offer you a webpage for your study, should it be useful to have a link that showcases your key findings and related publications.

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

With further tales of being briefly mugged, being anxious, being lied to, being in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason, being under the protection of drugs gangs, and so on. There’s plenty of job-related serious and silly content for us to share with you.

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Have we ever accidentally eaten a large spoonful of hot West African green pepper sauce thinking it was avocado? (Jess has!) And have we ever foolishly spilt litres of orange juice onto the carpet of a posh hotel in Switzerland? (Mike has!)

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

What do we actually do when we go there? Do we like the food? How many litres of sweat do we lose per week in Ghana? Who even are we? (Answers on a postcard for that one!)

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

There’ll also be musings of our experiences in countries such as Ghana, or cities such as Geneva, and maybe even other places that don’t begin with G.

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Launching December, myself and colleague Jess Boxall have a new personal webspace!

We will do global health stories. There’ll be reflections under the heading of β€˜Imagine..’ (for example β€˜Imagine you are a pregnant lady bleeding, in a remote community, and it’s the rainy season- what do you do?’)

30.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
A person wearing a white polo shirt and blue gloves is arranging a tray filled with multiple small test tubes, each sealed with a blue cap. The scene appears to be in a laboratory or medical setting, with various equipment and supplies visible on the table, including a colorful grid plate and a blue cylindrical container.

A person wearing a white polo shirt and blue gloves is arranging a tray filled with multiple small test tubes, each sealed with a blue cap. The scene appears to be in a laboratory or medical setting, with various equipment and supplies visible on the table, including a colorful grid plate and a blue cylindrical container.

Our global health experts highlight the urgent need for more cancer research funding for lower-income countries, which receive just a small share of money worldwide.

Read more πŸ‘‰ https://southampton.pulse.ly/hhur5pomai

@michaelghead.bsky.social

02.09.2025 09:29 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
How to save global cancer research from Trump’s cuts What happens if Trump cuts cancer research funding?

Find out how our global health expert Dr @michaelghead.bsky.social and his colleagues @unisouthampton.bsky.social think President Trump cuts could affect worldwide cancer research funding, and how to safeguard it. theconversation.com/how-to-save-...

02.09.2025 14:31 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Conspiracy theories could harm sustainability www.nature.com/articles/s41...

"...conspiracy beliefs are mostly associated with reduced public health and well-being, weakened social cohesion and deteriorated basic human rights..."

"...mostly negative implications for sustainable attitudes..."

23.06.2025 13:53 β€” πŸ‘ 39    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

New paper published - "Global funding for surgical research between 2016 and 2020: content analysis of public and philanthropic investments "

See British Journal of Surgery @bjsurgery.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/bjs/article/...

#surgery #publichealth #globalhealth #funding

10.06.2025 08:09 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Off to Geneva for the World Health Assembly. Very much looking forward to three days of many interesting events, covering #womenshealth #foodinsecurity #NTDs, and so many other topics!

Like an Edinburgh Festival, for nerds. Heaven 😊

#wha78 #globalhealth #publichealth πŸ§ͺ

20.05.2025 18:20 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

1/Almost 9 years ago I was standing in front of the TV in shock and disbelief over the Brexit vote. To be truthful, my anxiety was not because of the predicted economic consequences. It was because the vote showed me that campaigns based on prejudice work in this country. And it went downhill since.

17.05.2025 17:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1184    πŸ” 219    πŸ’¬ 39    πŸ“Œ 12

My yak-based moon-landing project, in conjunction with a humanities expert and written on pen and paper, is doomed to fail yet again, it seems.

16.05.2025 12:30 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Developing community-led climate and health solutions in Ghana

We have a portfolio of research around the topic of #climatechange and #health, particularly in #Ghana, West Africa.

Many thanks to Jo Fisher for this profile of my and Jess Boxall's research.

www.southampton.ac.uk/research/hig...

@uosmedia.bsky.social #academicsky #globalhealth #publichealth

15.05.2025 18:06 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Aid groups hit back over development minister’s β€˜charity’ comments Groups said they rejected Baroness Jenny Chapman’s description of aid during her appearance before the Commons International Development Committee.

πŸ“° @bondngo.bsky.social's Gideon Rabinowitz:

β€œUK aid isn’t about charity, it is about global solidarity and responsibility to our international commitments, and it’s an investment in a safer, healthier and more sustainable world that benefits us here in the UK.”
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

14.05.2025 10:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Nice to be recognised! Don't know who the kind soul was, but I've been nominated for Vice Chancellors Award at @unisouthampton.bsky.social. Am very passionate about advoacy to improve public narrative on #researchsky & #universities
@uosmedia.bsky.social @uoscommsallison.bsky.social
#academicsky

15.05.2025 08:53 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
How effective and safe are measles vaccines? Data from large meta-analyses show that measles vaccination is highly effective and safe, giving a 95% reduction in the risk of measles.

β€œMeasles vaccine is one of the best tools we have to protect public health. Like all medicines, there can be a risk of side effects, but the benefits far outweigh them: both for individuals and the community as a whole”

ourworldindata.org/measles-vacc...

14.05.2025 10:28 β€” πŸ‘ 44    πŸ” 20    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

This is very concerning and getting much less attention than the measles- a range of vaccine preventable conditions increasing in US now

14.05.2025 05:40 β€” πŸ‘ 63    πŸ” 25    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image 13.05.2025 11:41 β€” πŸ‘ 17260    πŸ” 3299    πŸ’¬ 314    πŸ“Œ 131
Preview
Moderna's combo Covid and flu mRNA shot outperforms current vaccines in large trial A combination shot would make it easier for people to get vaccinated against Covid and the flu at the same time.

Nobel Prize winning science.

10.05.2025 09:46 β€” πŸ‘ 3820    πŸ” 959    πŸ’¬ 61    πŸ“Œ 134
Preview
Empowering refugee voices: Using Nominal Group Technique (NGT) with a diverse refugee Patient Advisory Committee (PAC) to identify health and research priorities in Calgary, Canada Background Despite rising forced displacement globally, refugees’ health and research priorities are largely unknown. We investigated whether a diverse refugee committee could utilize participatory me...

Pleased to share our latest publication from Refugee Health YYC team ⬇️

This study provides compelling evidence highlighting that refugees can effectively prioritize their healthcare needs and establish research agendas when given the resources to reach consensus.
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

11.05.2025 19:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Blog πŸ‘‡below links to here - www.impactcounter.com/dashboard?vi...

For simplicity, Trump policies are killing >100 people per hour.

12.05.2025 18:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Universities and us staff members simply have to a) do more to work with the public, highlighting the benefits of universities in the local community, nationally, and internationally.
And b) correct the narrative and misinformation spread in both political and media circles.

12.05.2025 17:56 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
A bridge between academics and communications staff Science communication in a post-Covid world calls for a new way to span the gap between researchers and university comms teams – and a new skill set, as Michael Head explains

I have a 0.2 FTE role in @uosmedia.bsky.social as Head of Academic Advocacy. Being the bridge between my fellow academics and media/comms team

See article in @timeshighered.bsky.social
www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/bridg...

#education #university #universities #researchsky #academicsky πŸ§ͺ

12.05.2025 17:54 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

This is why we recommend #vaccines to prevent consequences of very nasty #infectiousdiseases πŸ‘‡

As the hashtag goes, #vaccineswork πŸ§ͺ

#publichealth #globalhealth #measles

11.05.2025 09:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

New Canadian #flu paper @stephaniedavey.bsky.social

"It is notable that over 1/4 of deaths occurred in children without a medical condition deemed high risk for #influenza complications, highlighting importance of preventative measures for all children."

#vaccines #vaccineswork #publichealth πŸ§ͺ

11.05.2025 09:12 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's wearying to see the universities minister be this unaware of the reality.

Thread below nails many important points πŸ‘‡

#researchsky #academicsky #university #education πŸ§ͺ

11.05.2025 09:00 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Do agree with this πŸ‘‡

We need a university workforce that is comfortable in areas way beyond simply teaching, or 'talking to other scientists at conferences'.

And universities themselves need to provide recognition and guidance for those who choose to put their heads above the parapet.

10.05.2025 06:55 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Michael Head Michael Head β€” Profile on The Conversation

Hi, researcher at @unisouthampton.bsky.social , but also have one day a week role as Head of Academic Advocacy.

See, for example, my articles in The Conversation theconversation.com/profiles/mic... .

Lots more where that came from! Thank you.

10.05.2025 06:44 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0