Q&A: Past and Present Chairs of Our Strategy Board

We’ve interviewed the Past and Present Chairs of the Strategy Board, Professor Anne Kelso and Dr Mark Palmer, to hear all about their thoughts and experiences while being on the GACD Board.

Our Strategy Board currently consists of 12 senior figures representing each of our Associate Members (funding agencies) from around the world. These leaders collectively steer our strategic direction and agree our research funding and capacity strengthening priorities each year.

Professor Anne Kelso has been Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council Australia (NHMRC) since 2015 and was Chair of the GACD Strategy Board from 2018-2020.

What has engagement in GACD meant for the NHMRC?

“At NHMRC we think international funding partnerships are a great way to support Australian researchers to work across borders for the improvement of global health and to strengthen collaborative linkages. Our researchers also appreciate these opportunities.

The GACD has a special place amongst our international partnerships for several reasons. One is its clear goal to reduce NCDs in the most vulnerable populations – a shared problem that will best be addressed with shared knowledge and effort. Another is its focus on implementation science – a stage in the research pipeline in which we are keen to build capacity in Australia. Yet another is the highly collaborative way the funding agencies that make up the alliance work together to define topics, plan calls and support the GACD’s broader work to promote collaboration and capacity building. For all these reasons, the GACD is now one of our most enduring partnerships.”

What are some of the unique aspects of GACD?

“The GACD is much more than a multilateral funding partnership. The power of its work is greatly increased by its strong collaborative research network, actively fostered by the GACD through Annual Scientific Meetings and Research Network Working Groups. The GACD is also exceptional in offering training in implementation science through annual Implementation Science Workshops and Implementation Science Schools. The impact of this capacity building may be just as important as the research itself.”

What have been your personal highlights as Chair over the past two years?

“There are a few. First, it was a big highlight to see the GACD complete its transition from its former host, UCL, to being a linked charity of the Medical Research Foundation and located at the Wellcome Trust. This placed the GACD in an environment that aligns well with its goals and provides strong governance and support for staff. It also meant we could get back to focusing on our core business of supporting and promoting implementation science to tackle NCDs.

Another highlight was the appointment of Morven Roberts as CEO in October 2019. GACD is in safe hands, as its resilience and productivity during the pandemic is showing.

Most recently, I was delighted with the decisions to hold calls every year and to plan call topics three years ahead. Both decisions will strengthen the GACD, especially by giving research teams more time to engage with end-users and plan their research before they submit their proposals.

I also have to mention how much I enjoyed participating in the 2019 ASM in Bangkok, learning more about the research we are all supporting and meeting GACD researchers and colleagues. But that doesn’t depend on being Strategy Board Chair and I look forward to future ASMs when we can again meet in person.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an extraordinary event this year – how do you think it might impact on the NCDs agenda?

“On the down side, with most countries experiencing severe health and economic consequences of the pandemic, their focus has naturally shifted to the immediate crisis. We can expect to see a rise in NCDs as they receive less attention from national health systems, and a decline in government funding for NCD interventions and services. It’s a terrible truth that less advantaged communities around the world are suffering the worst direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic. The GACD will be more important than ever.

More positively, the role of the health sciences in responding to COVID-19 has reminded many people inside and outside governments of the importance of scientific, medical and public health expertise. It has also shown just how quickly this force can be mobilised in an emergency. We must amplify this message to ensure that the lessons of this acute infectious disease pandemic are applied in responding to the slow-burning pandemic of NCDs.”

Dr Mark Palmer is current Chair of the Strategy Board and Director of International Relations at the Medical Research Council (MRC).

We’re beginning to see successes from the earlier GACD Research Programmes and the Cancer Call is now well underway as the sixth GACD Research Programme. As the incoming Chair, what next?

“In the new GACD strategy we have agreed two important and significant changes. Firstly, we aim to have a call each year rather than every two to three years, which was the case with our earlier calls. Secondly, we are moving away from having calls that focus on a single disease in favour of calls that take a cross cutting perspective on the risk factors or modalities of disease. We will still retain the emphasis on implementation research. We hope that this approach will accelerate the development of new knowledge that will lead to new interventions being adopted sooner.”

GACD has now been active for about a decade, what do you think will maintain the momentum and enthusiasm of current and future Associate Members of GACD?

“Non-communicable diseases impose a huge burden on society and our health care services. The complexities of tackling these diseases globally are too much for any individual funder. GACD allows us to share resources that not only fund research but bring together a global network of experts and policy makers to discuss ideas and advance our thinking. It is the opportunity to be part of a global movement that helps maintain the momentum of GACD.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged everyone to think differently – how do you think it might influence thinking on NCDs?

“We have seen how people with underlying NCD health conditions have been particularly susceptible to severe COVID disease. Our work on comorbidities will undoubtedly extend to understanding the role of NCDs in the context of infection. But it remains to be seen whether the response to the pandemic emergency will translate into any new approaches to accelerate or cooperate on research.”

As incoming Chair, you know that GACD has a strength in its research. What are your thoughts on how best GACD can use that research evidence to influence policy change in the future?

“It is a not inconsiderable challenge for research funders to ensure that the evidence generated by our research is adopted for the benefit of patients and the wider community. We can try to ensure that policy makers and influencers are engaged throughout the research process from planning through to promoting outcomes. But it is equally important engage with WHO, or other health advisory bodies, to identify opportunities to clarify and improve recommendations and to help produce the best global health guidance.”

Click here to read more about the other members of our Strategy Board.