UCL has been designated a WHO collaborating centre for digital health and pandemic preparedness, the first such WHO centre dedicated to pandemics.
Led by professor Patty Kostkova, the UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies has been named a World Health Organization collaborating centre for digital public health and pandemic preparedness.
WHO collaborating centres are recognised as world-leading institutions of excellence in their field. Other WHO collaborating centres at UCL focus on tuberculosis research and innovation, arts and health, and assistive technology.
The WHO centre will leverage expertise from public health, computer science, data science, engineering, behavioural science, policy and emergency management to strengthen WHO impact across the European region and globally.
Professor Kostkova said: “I am thrilled by the WHO designation: this is a major milestone for the UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE) and a recognition of our research achievements and world leadership in digital public health and pandemics preparedness.
“I am very excited to join forces with WHO to scale up innovative digital approaches to improve pandemic preparedness and response, to tackle antimicrobial resistance, to fight misinformation through citizens’ engagement, and to support a climate resilient One Health approach that recognises the interconnected health of humans, animals, and ecosystems.
“Together with WHO, we will champion sovereignty of digital technology, AI and health data, and strengthen preparedness for future health emergencies in the UK, European region and beyond.”
Dr Ihor Perehinets, health security and regional emergency director at WHO Regional Office for Europe, said: “This new Collaborating Centre strengthens our ability, across the WHO European region, to prevent, promptly detect and respond to health emergencies by using digital public health tools more effectively and responsibly, from stronger surveillance and early warning, to better analytics for decision-making, to ethical use of AI that support public health action.
“It deepens collaboration on how digital tools and data can support pandemic preparedness and response, One Health surveillance and climate-sensitive risks, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control, and trusted communication during health emergencies, priorities central to health security across the WHO European Region.”
Past work by professor Kostkova and her group includes using digital tools and AI modelling to improve surveillance and early warning systems for mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya in Brazil and Portugal.
The team also developed the award-winning gamified GADSA app to encourage surgeons and other healthcare providers in Nigeria to provide antibiotic prescriptions in line with WHO guidelines, to improve antimicrobial stewardship, which means using antibiotics appropriately.
The GADSA technology is now being adapted for the NHS to improve compliance with diagnosis and management of urinary tract infection.
The team also developed mobile game MANTRA to improve understanding of maternal and neonatal health in rural women in Nepal.
