The Government of Japan has announced that Professor Brian Greenwood has been awarded the inaugural Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize for medical research.

Brian Greenwood, Manson Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has spent more than 30 years in Africa, including 15 years as Director of the Medical Research Council in The Gambia where he pioneered landmark research contributing to the understanding of the immunology, pathogenesis and epidemiology of malaria and other infectious diseases including meningitis and pneumonia, all major contributors to mortality among children in Africa.

His research and translational clinical studies, involving simple but high quality methods as well as field trials of drugs and vaccines, have provided the scientific underpinning to a wide range of influential public health policies at national and international levels. His important contributions include:

Demonstration of the effectiveness of insecticide-treated nets for control of malaria, which is now the cornerstone of malaria interventions throughout the continent, supported and financed by many donor agencies
Primary studies on artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), now widely adapted as first-line treatment for malaria
Demonstration that malaria prophylaxis reduces child mortality. This is now being applied for intermittent preventive treatment in infants, children and in pregnancy
Substantial contributions to trials of malaria vaccines, including the efficacious RTS, S vaccine
Demonstration of how Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infection can be eliminated by vaccination
Large-scale clinical trials showing the potential for reducing child morbidity and mortality through use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
Substantial contributions to the development of meningococcal vaccines

Another important aspect of Greenwood's achievements is his reinvention of field research in tropical medicine - changing it from an ancillary colonial or military activity focusing on hygiene to a multi-partite, multi-disciplinary endeavour, wherein holistic solutions are required - based on cutting-edge science and a genuine understanding of the complex eco-system as well as real-life challenges unique to Africa. Thus laboratory and clinical research, preventive and curative medicine, epidemiology, anthropology, and behavioural research were all brought together. These modern approaches which we now take for granted came from Greenwood's prescience and leadership.

Over the years, Greenwood has made capacity building - another lasting legacy of his research based on African soil - a central objective including the training and support of young African scientists. A cohort of students, doctors, and clinicians who developed their careers under Greenwood's inspirational mentorship has immensely contributed to the increase in stature of medical research in Africa amongst the scientific community in general.

Commenting on Brian Greenwood’s achievement, MRC (UK) The Gambia’s Unit Director Professor Tumani Corrah said ‘Brian was quick to mention that the award was made possible by the contributions of everyone he had the privilege to work with, including the communities that took part in the studies.’ Professor Corrah added ‘The award once more places the people of The Gambia on the scientific world map; Brian’s success is the product of the long-standing, genuine partnership between the Gambia Government, the Gambian people and the Medical Research Council (UK) in The Gambia.

The inaugural Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize for medical services was awarded to Miriam K Were of Kenya, whose efforts to bring basic medical services and health rights to women and children in the villages of East Africa has been a beacon of hope for millions of people in Africa and the world., Through her work with African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) and UZIMA Foundation, Were has been a source of inspiration for all people on the African continent.