From 11 November – 22 November, world leaders will gather in Baku, Azerbaijan, alongside 32,000 delegates to the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29.

Following the prominent focus on health at the last COP, a topic neglected in previous conferences, the health community will continue to call for the mainstreaming of health in the global climate change agenda in recognition of the unprecedented threat to human health the climate crisis represents. Advocates will also be holding policymakers accountable for the implementation of commitments made in last year’s UAE Declaration on Climate and Health, which was endorsed by over 150 countries.

The George Institute’s delegation will once again be making an urgent call for world leaders to centre the voices of communities whose health, well-being and futures have been most impacted by climate breakdown, ensuring they are at the heart of national climate action plans and debate. In alignment with our research and evidence, we call on governments at COP29 to make a number of commitments, and ensure adequate financial investment to support them: 

COP29 will feature a "Health Day" on November 18, which will include high-level discussions on the Baku Initiative on Human Development for Climate Resilience. The conference will also feature several World Health Organization (WHO) initiatives, such as a Health Pavilion which will host side events throughout the two weeks.  During the Health Day, the 3rd Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change will also be held to discuss areas where progress is needed, particularly in enhancing resilience and improving health in urban areas.  

As an accredited Observer organization under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), The George Institute is partnering with Imperial College London and the American Psychological Association to host a side event showcasing the impacts of climate breakdown on mental health, a growing global issue that weakens communities' ability to cope. Extreme weather events are causing loss of life, displacement, disrupted education, and infrastructure damage, all of which exacerbate mental health challenges. As global heating worsens, rising mental illness, trauma, and suffering could severely hinder the collective action required for effective, locally-led adaptation interventions. 

The event at COP29 will call for mental health to be embedded across climate and health discussions, exploring how the climate and ecological crisis affects young people and caregivers. It will also showcase youth-led action and global initiatives aimed at integrating mental health and psychological resilience into climate resilience efforts, drawing on dialogues from over 90 countries.

• Time: 13:15-14:45 
• Date: Thursday 21 November 
• Location: Side Event Room 2, Blue Zone 
• Speakers: Dr Harshita Umesh (YOUNGO), Dr Emma Lawrence (Imperial College London), Dr Mercian Daniel (The George Institute for Global Health), Dr Amanda Clinton (American Psychological Association), Ayomide Olude (The Eco-Anxiety Africa Project) , Dr Alessandro Massazza (United for Global Mental Health), Dr John Balbus (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), Dr Sandeep Maharaj (Global Sepsis Alliance)
• Learn more about planned side events and exhibits here. 

The George Institute seeks to ensure that evidence informs the development and implementation of social, economic and environmental policies to address climate change and other urgent global health challenges. We are committed to placing at the heart of our work the Traditional Knowledges of First Nations and Tribal Peoples and the voices of other communities experiencing marginalisation. We work closely with these communities, stakeholders and policymakers at local, national and global levels to address and reverse the ongoing impacts of climate change on human health and equity. Read more about our planetary health work here.

Learn more:

• Explore the recent commentary co-authored with colleagues and published in The Lancet Psychiatry ahead of COP29, discussing the critical need to integrate mental health into climate and health discussions. 
• Review the WHO’s COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, which outlines key actions for a resilient and sustainable future, directed at governments and policymakers. We are proud to have contributed to this report.
• The Global Climate and Health Alliance has put forward 9 recommendations from the international health and climate community, calling upon Parties at COP29 to commit to and deliver ambitious climate action sufficient to protect and promote the health of people and the planet.
• Learn more about The George Institute’s research on the psychological responses to climate change and COVID-19 in young Indians.
• Check out relevant groups of which The George Institute is proud to be a member: the WHO Civil Society Working Group to Advance Action on Climate and Health, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, and the Planetary Health Alliance.

The George Institute for Global Health will lead a new $12.5M Regional Health Partnership funded by the Australian Government to support five countries in the Pacific and Southeast Asia in strengthening the prevention, screening and management of diabetes and hypertension within their own primary health care systems.

Dr Anna Palagyi, Program Lead – Ageing & Health Systems at The George Institute, said: “It is estimated that up to 86 percent of all deaths in the region are due to non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, with hypertension being one of the key risk factors.

“Improving a community’s access to acceptable, high-quality services for the prevention, screening and management of these conditions would have clear benefits, reducing unnecessary death and disability,” she added.

The ‘Building resilient and people-centred health systems for non-communicable disease prevention and control in Pacific and Southeast Asian countries (RESist-NCD)’ program will support partner governments and civil society organisations in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia to improve diabetes and hypertension care.

It will also focus on strengthening essential components of the health system that are critical to maintaining diabetes and hypertension service provision at the primary health care level, such as medicines availability and the collection and use of health data for decision-making.

Importantly, the program will facilitate community-led solutions to addressing some of the root causes of chronic disease in the region, for example food and water insecurity in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, as well as ways to effectively implement policies targeting reduced sodium and sugar intake in Fiji and Vietnam.

The George Institute will work alongside consortium partners The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and UNSW Sydney to implement the RESist-NCD program. 

“The four-year program will work with partner countries to optimise the integration of diabetes and hypertension services in primary health care, and to ensure systems are in place to continually enhance and sustain these services into the future,” said Dr Palagyi.  

“The George Institute, CHAI and UNSW Sydney have long-term partnerships with governments, civil society organisations and academic institutions in each of these countries, and this program is designed to address our partners’ priorities, and to strengthen and augment national and regional NCD strategies.”

The George Institute’s Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program will contribute their extensive expertise in meaningful community engagement and partnerships to embed genuine engagement principles in the design and evaluation of the program.

Keziah Bennett-Brook, Program Head, Guunu-maana (Heal) said: “RESist-NCD recognises that community self-determination is absolutely key to equitable and sustainable improvements in health. This program seeks to centre community driven decision-making and culturally informed approaches to implementing holistic services and programs that impact upon NCDs.”

Also embedded across the program is a commitment to integrating and strengthening efforts to promote gender equality, disability and social inclusion considerations within all activities, including within the ways of working and research practices of the RESist-NCD consortium.

The RESist-NCD Regional Health Partnership is supported by the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region Initiative

In response to the increasingly complex and evolving landscape of global health research, The George Institute for Global Health has launched the first of a series of Global Advisory Boards, beginning with a focus on clinical trials. The initiative highlights the Institute’s strategic commitment to conducting high-quality clinical trials that are not only innovative and impactful but also equitable, efficient, and sustainable. Importantly, this is just the first advisory board that will guide the Institute’s work across its diverse areas of research.

Why Global Advisory Boards?

The establishment of the Institute’s first Global Advisory Board reflects the need for structured, collaborative engagement with leading experts from various fields. As global health challenges grow more complex, The George Institute recognises the vital role of expert guidance that blends visionary thinking with practical experience to shape its strategic direction across all aspects of its research portfolio.

“We have always been driven to challenge the status quo in global health research, and the creation of our first Global Advisory Board reaffirms that commitment,” says CEO Professor Anushka Patel. 

“By engaging with world-renowned experts with extensive experience across the different areas we work in, we’re expanding our knowledge base and ensuring our strategies reflect the latest innovations and diverse perspectives.”

The Global Advisory Boards will serve multiple roles: offering insights to solve urgent challenges, identifying new opportunities through rigorous analysis, and testing strategic concepts. The advisory boards’ recommendations will be presented to the Institute’s senior leadership and Board of Directors, informing decisions around major investments and new initiatives with the latest evidence and best practices. 

While the initial focus is on clinical trials, future advisory boards will cover other key areas of the Institute’s work, ensuring that all facets of its global research efforts benefit from expert input and strategic insights.

Why first focus on clinical trials?

Clinical trials have always been a cornerstone of The George Institute’s work, shaping global treatment guidelines and solidifying its reputation as a leader in health research. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed key areas in trial design and execution that must evolve. This first advisory board aims to address those challenges, from modernising trial methods to enhancing participant recruitment and improving representation in clinical studies.

“Clinical trials are central to much of our work,” explains Emma Feeny, Global Director of Impact & Engagement and convener of the advisory boards. “The pandemic highlighted the need to be agile and forward-thinking in designing and conducting our trials. The Global Advisory Board on Clinical Trials will help us navigate these complexities and ensure we continue to produce evidence that can improve the health of millions of people worldwide.”

Structure and focus

The Global Advisory Board on Clinical Trials is made up of eight external experts from the funding, pharmaceutical, regulatory and tech entrepreneurial sectors, as well as researchers and expert triallists, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience. Over a nine-month period, it will hold three virtual meetings and conclude with an in-person meeting in New Delhi in March 2025. These discussions will revolve around two key questions: 

1. How can The George Institute be a global leader in producing patient-centred, policy-relevant, high-quality evidence from innovative clinical trials, improving equity, efficiency, and sustainability? 
2. How can The George Institute work with funders, policymakers and communities to support sector-wide improvements in trial design and implementation?

In addition to these overarching questions, the Advisory Board will address specific issues, including how the Institute can harness digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, strengthen trial infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries, and reduce the carbon footprint of clinical trials globally. 

A strong emphasis will be placed on ensuring that trials are inclusive, representing diverse populations that are often underrepresented in clinical research. This commitment to equity is both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage, aligning with global trends toward more patient-centred and inclusive research practices.

"The future of clinical trials depends on our ability to innovate while remaining focussed on equity," says Ms Feeny. "By bringing together experts with diverse perspectives, we can ensure that our trials are not only cutting-edge but also representative of the populations we aim to serve. This ultimately leads to better guidelines, policies and outcomes."

A broader vision

The Global Advisory Board on Clinical Trials marks a significant step, but it’s just the beginning. Following its completion in 2025, The George Institute will establish advisory boards across other priority areas. Each board will draw on a wide range of expertise to ensure that the Institute’s work continues to address emerging health challenges with innovative, evidence-based solutions.

Professor Patel emphasises the broader impact of these advisory boards: “Insights from the Global Advisory Boards will shape our research agenda for years to come. This is about building frameworks for all our research areas to benefit from the guidance of global experts, helping us to pioneer new approaches that will lead to greater impact worldwide."

The George Institute for Global Health Global Advisory Board on Clinical Trials

Professor Álvaro Avezum 

Dr Álvaro Avezum MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, a cardiologist and epidemiologist, is Director of the International Research Center at Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil; Full Professor at São Paulo University; International Research Associate at the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University; World Heart Federation At Large Member; and Scientific Director of the Spirituality and Cardiovascular Medicine Department at the Brazilian Cardiology Society.

Dr Avezum has held positions at the São Paulo Cardiology Society, Brazilian Cardiology Society, InterAmerican Cardiology Society, World Heart Federation and Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology. His research interests include clinical trials in cardiovascular diseases, evidence-based practice, cardiovascular disease prevention, epidemiological studies, systematic overviews, and knowledge translation interventions. Since 1990 he has coordinated a network of 250 research sites across Brazil, and over the past 17 years has conducted the world’s largest prospective cohort study (PURE) with the Population Health Research Institute in Hamilton, Canada. He has been a steering committee member of 120 studies, adjudication committee member of more than 30 studies, and author/co-author of 412 peer-reviewed published scientific papers, including key articles in high-impact journals. He was identified as one of the world’s most influential scientific minds by Thomson Reuters in 2014 and 2015, and by Clarivate Analytics in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Professor Martin Cowie

As interim Senior Vice President of Late-Stage Development (Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals), at AstraZeneca, Prof Martin Cowie helps drive strategy across the entire value chain of the late-stage development portfolio, stimulating novel scientific research and innovative development designs. He also leads the global clinical development strategy.

Prof Cowie was previously Chair of the Digital Health Committee of the European Society of Cardiology (2019-2022) and from 2016-2020 was a Non-Executive Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK. He was a Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London and led the multi-professional heart failure service from 2001 until 2022, looking after thousands of patients with complex cardiovascular problems. Prof Cowie remains as Adjunct Professor at the School of Cardiovascular Medicine (Faculty of Lifesciences and Medicine) at King's College London, Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at the Brompton Hospital, London.

Working in partnership with patients has been a lifelong passion for Prof Cowie. He was previously a Trustee of the Atrial Fibrillation Association, and Chair of the Clinical Advisory Board of the patient-led heart failure charity, Pumping Marvellous. He remains committed to ensuring clinical trial programmes are patient- (and site-) centric.

Dr M. Khair ElZarrad

Dr M. Khair ElZarrad is Director of the Office of Medical Policy in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). He leads the development, coordination, and implementation of medical policy programs and strategic initiatives, including multiple projects focused on exploring the potential utility of real-world evidence, innovative clinical trial designs, and the integration of technological advances in pharmaceutical development. Dr ElZarrad is Co-Chair of the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative and rapporteur for the International Council for Harmonisation’s ongoing work to revise the Good Clinical Practice Guideline (ICH-E6(R2)). 

Prior to the FDA, he served as acting director of the Clinical and Healthcare Research Policy Division with the Office of Science Policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At NIH, he worked on policies related to human subject protections; the design, conduct, and oversight of clinical research; and enhancing quality assurance programs at pharmaceutical facilities.

Michelle Gallaher 

Michelle Gallaher is Chief Executive Officer of Cerulea, a clinical trial centre established by the Centre for Eye Research Australia. An award-winning thought leader, speaker, advocate and health technology entrepreneur, Gallaher has established four start-ups, including Trialkey, which applies artificial intelligence (AI) to predicting clinical trial results.

Gallaher’s career spans clinical and administrative roles in public and private health, commercial and executive roles with biotech, pharmaceutical and medical organisations, as well as leading a biotech peak body. She is an advocate for the appropriate application of AI in healthcare and the role of ethics and digital leadership in technology development and has influenced regulation and legislation in healthtech. 
Gallaher is a non-executive director on several boards (Praxis Australia, Cancer Trials Australia, and Medtech Actuator) and is co-founder of the not-for-profit advocacy organisation Women in STEMM Australia. She is a Victorian Honour Roll for Women inductee, Victorian Testra Businesswoman and Entrepreneur of the Year, and a winner of Westpac’s 200 Businesses of Tomorrow.

Dr Saumu Lwembe

Dr Saumu Lwembe is an expert in the involvement of people and communities in health and care research. As an assistant director at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), she has a key role in ensuring that diverse citizens can work in successful partnership with the NIHR and with the research projects that NIHR funds, both in the UK and in low- and middle-income countries.

Dr Lwembe has significant experience in global public health policy and systems, with a strong focus on narrowing the gap between ambition and action. She holds a Doctor of Public Health degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr Aparna Mukherjee

Dr Aparna Mukherjee holds the position of Scientist F, Head Clinical Studies, Trials & Projection Unit, at the Indian Council of Medical Research.

After completing her MBBS at Medical College, Kolkata, Dr Mukherjee went on to pursue paediatric medicine for her postgraduate specialisation. She joined the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and spent over 10 years studying and working on tuberculosis as a doctor and researcher, specialising in the field of paediatric tuberculosis.

Professor Cara Tannenbaum 

Cara Tannenbaum MDCM, MSc, PhD (hon), CM is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Canada, and a Distinguished Fellow at The George Institute. She served as the Scientific Director of the Institute of Gender and Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research from 2015-2022 where she led the successful integration of sex and gender in health research funding in Canada. She currently provides internationally recognised leadership on the integration of sex, gender and intersectionality into research, practice and policy.

Dr Tannenbaum obtained her medical, epidemiology and statistics degrees at McGill University, and has published over 160 articles and book chapters including in JAMA, The Lancet, BMJ, Nature and PNAS on topics related to sex and gender, drug safety, women’s health and geriatrics.  Her expertise lies in cluster-randomised community-based trials and implementation science. She has received several prestigious awards, including the May Cohen Gender Equity Award from the Association of Faculties of Medicine Canada, the Canadian Trailblazer Award for Exceptional Contributions to Science Policy, the Geriatric Pharmacy Award from the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and membership in the Order of Canada. Dr. Tannenbaum served as Departmental Science Advisor for Health Canada from 2019-2024.

Professor Liesl Zühlke 

Professor Liesl Zühlke MB, CHB, DCH, FCPaeds Cert Card, MPH, FACC, FESC, FAHA, MSc, MAssaf, PhD directs the Children’s Heart Disease Research Unit focused on research into Children’s Heart Diseases of relevance in Africa, which includes the PROTEA project and multiple Rheumatic Heart Disease projects. She has over 200 publications, conference proceedings and book chapters, her h-index is 55, she has been cited over 64,000 times and was recently shortlisted for the Women in Science Award of South Africa. She was the 2018 recipient of the MRC/DFID African Research Leader Award, the Winner of the National Research Foundation (NRF) award for Social Impact in Research, the International Metrodora Award for Public Health and Research and the University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice-Chancellors Alan Pfifer Award for research. She was recently inducted into the prestigious UCT College of Fellows, UCT’s highest academic honour. She is a Member of the South African Academy of Sciences (MAssaf) and is NRF-B1 rated.

Professor Zühlke has achieved the highest leadership positions within cardiology in South Africa; internationally she serves as the President of Reach, is a member of the board of World Heart Federation and Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, International scientific advisory board of Children's Heart Link and an executive member of the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC).  As the only women Full Professor of Paediatric Cardiology in the country, she is an active and vociferous advocate for the advancement and empowerment of equity and women in medicine, including being on the Lancet Commission for Women in Cardiovascular Disease. Professor Zühlke is currently the Vice-President of the South African Medical Research Council, Extramural Research and Internal Portfolio.