Liverpool Clinical PhD programme for Health Priorities in the Global South

A new doctoral programme will train 20 clinical scientists to tackle health priorities in the Global South, from midwives to veterinarians. The programme addresses a critical gap: too few researchers from clinical backgrounds are equipped to conduct high-quality research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Without dedicated training, health interventions for diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases remain understudied where they hit hardest. The University of Liverpool and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are building on 13 years of successful PhD delivery for doctors and vets, now expanding to include midwives and other clinical professions. If successful, the programme will produce a cohort of independent research leaders who can design and implement studies that directly improve health outcomes in LMICs. This matters for everyday life in those regions—better diagnostics, more effective treatments, stronger public health systems. But it also strengthens the global research infrastructure: UK institutions gain long-term partnerships, and LMIC health systems benefit from locally relevant evidence. The programme embeds equality, diversity, and inclusivity throughout, ensuring trainees reflect the communities they serve. Success will be measured by fellows progressing into academic leadership and securing further funding to continue their work.