Project team

FRCP, FFPHM, MRCPCH, PhD, MPH, MBBS, BMedSci (Reader in Public Health, University of Birmingham)

Semira Manaseki-Holland is a public health physician with extensive experience in global health research and health systems delivery, particularly in low and middle-income countries.

Overall responsible for project delivery/Coordination and management of the overall research consortium and project plan. Responsible for provision and coordination of the UK/international support to India teams including through co-applicants and collaborators, research and management staff, and UOB’s institutional, contractual/financial arrangements, due-diligence and other requirements for NIHR. She will jointly lead the Cluster- Randomised Control Test and WP1-4,6,8

Email: s.manasekiholland@bham.ac.uk

PhD, MPH (Additional Professor (Epidemiology), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology)

Joint Project Lead. Jeemon Panniyammakal, an award-winning public health expert from Kerala, focuses on cardiovascular disease and diabetes prevention. He is recognized globally and has received several prestigious fellowships and awards.

Lead the team in India, coordinate research activities across multiple sites (Kerala/Bihar), arrange for regulatory/administrative permissions including for ethics, liaise with state health agencies and district administration, actively support CEI, supervise/monitor research staff and post-graduate students in the study, ensure an appropriate working environment, adequate training in research data collection and public health ethics for all researchers; work closely with the Joint lead from the UK in all activities and act as a communication link between UK and India teams.

FRSPH PhD MPH MBBS (Research Fellow and Program Manager, University of Birmingham)

Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, a medical doctor with a master's in public health and a PhD, focuses on improving health access and universal coverage, particularly in resource-poor settings of LMICs and HICs. Position in the project: Project Manager. 

Part of CEI team and Bihar RCT Field Team.

M.D., DM (Cardiology), MSc, FRCP, FNASc, FNA, DSc(Honoris Causa) (Public Health Foundation of India)

As the senior co-applicant, will provide advice on NCDs, health systems, study design. Will act as an active Lead for WP9 on state-level, national and international dissemination/impact in view of leadership/advisory roles with Indian government, at WHO and other global agencies, and with various national and international professional bodies. Will provide mentorship/advice for the India Joint-Lead in all aspects including garnering support at these levels for implementation, sustainability, and impact of the project.

MA (Cantab), MPH, PhD (Professor of Epidemiology and Primary Care, University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Collaborator and expertise in chronic respiratory diseases. Prof. Rachel Jordan is a distinguished epidemiologist whose extensive research focuses on respiratory diseases, particularly COPD, leading to significant contributions in understanding patient characteristics, health service requirements, and effectiveness of interventions.

MBBS MPH MFPH MRCP(UK) MD (Professor in Health Data Science and Public Health, University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Collaborator. Prof. Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar is a distinguished Professor of Health Data Science and Public Health, renowned for his expertise in innovative methodology development for automated epidemiology studies, alongside significant contributions to diabetes/endocrinology epidemiology and multimorbidity research.

PhD, MSc, MBBS, (Professor at the Indian Institute of Public Health)

Position in Project: Technology expert. Will lead the co-development of mobile phone applications and drone components of the intervention.

Dr Suresh Munuswamy is a medical doctor, scientist and a start-up entrepreneur working towards AI led universal primary health care at home. 

PhD, MPH, BSc (Professor, Belmont University, USA)

Prof. Ryan will provide overall expert input to disaster research relating to noncommunicable diseases, assist with shaping the research tools for evaluation (lead for that component), and support with global dissemination.

FRSPH PhD MPH MBBS (Research Fellow and Program Manager, University of Birmingham)

Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, a medical doctor with a master's in public health and a PhD, focuses on improving health access and universal coverage, particularly in resource-poor settings of LMICs and HICs. Position in the project: Project Manager. 

Part of CEI team and Bihar RCT Field Team.

BSc, MSc

Position in project: Project Assistant.

B.A. Journalism (Honours), M.A. International Relations

Position in Project: Global Health and Development Project Assistant

MBBS (Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Muzaffarpur)

Position in project: Co-Lead with UK CEI and WP 4

Dr Ravikant Singh is a Public Health professional working as Officer Incharge Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre Muzaffarpur Bihar under Department of Atomic Energy Govt. of India. He is founder of Doctors For You (DFY an NGO) one of the largest Medical Humanitarian relief organisation in India working in 23 states. 

PhD student (University of Birmingham)

MSc, PHD (Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna)

Overall lead in Bihar. Responsible for Bhar’s institutional, contractual and financial arrangements, due-diligence and other requirements and ethics approval procedures.

Anugrah Narayan College, Patna

Position in Project: Qualitative Researcher and Project Manager for Bihar 

BSc, MSc, PhD (Anugrah Narayan College, Patna)

Position in project: Lead for WP8 – Training and Capacity building. Qualitative specialist.

PhD, MSc, BSc (Professor of Health Economics, University of Birmingham)

Professor of health economics and lead on Health economics and WP6.

Prof. Sue Jowett, a Professor in the Health Economics Unit at Keele University, specializes in applied research focused on trial and model-based economic evaluations in chronic diseases, leading numerous projects, collaborating extensively, and contributing significantly to teaching health economics methodology.

PhD, MSc, BSc.

Dr. James Hall is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham.

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology

Position in project: Dr Jissa VT is the project's Lead India statistics and health economics team in India

BSc, MA, PhD, MBChB (Professor of Medical Sociology, University of Birmingham)

Position in the project: Qualitative-Lead for delivery of all qualitative components of the study including WP1, WP3, WP4, advising on methodology for data collection/tools development, analysis and reporting/publications, supervision of research fellows and PhD students.

Prof. Sheila Greenfield is a Professor of Medical Sociology specializing in qualitative methodology, focusing on its integration into mixed methods research and exploring self-management practices, particularly regarding complementary and alternative medicine.

PhD Student (University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Qualitative Research Fellow 

PhD (Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, University of Birmingham)

Position in the project: Climate and weather expert, lead in the hydrological-meteorological risk predictions modelling and WP 5, in collaboration with other hydrology and climate collaborators in UOB and India. Co-Lead in UK-Indian collaboration with partners and stakeholders and dissemination to the global hydrological-meteorological community. 

Dr Martin Widmann is a climate scientist. His current main research area is regional climate change, in particular the development and validation of statistical downscaling methods.

PhD (Professor of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee)

Position in project: As the expert in hydrology and climate to lead the Indian research group on hydrological-meteorological analysis and modelling (Lead WP5); managing the team, supervising researchers and PhD students and leading on mathematical modelling in India in collaboration with the UOB team. 

PhD (Professor of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee)

Position in project: Collaborator and WP 5 co-lead

MSc, PhD (Assistant Professor in Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Co-investigator.

Dr. Shasha Han, an Assistant Professor at the University of Birmingham, specializes in enhancing flood forecasts and mapping while studying flood changes amid climate and land cover shifts, with a focus on uncertainty analysis and advanced hydrological modeling techniques.

PhD (Professor of Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry, University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Collaborator and WP5 co-lead

Prof. Dr. Stefan Krause, based in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, leads an interdisciplinary research group investigating the impacts of global environmental change on hydrological systems and is a key member of the Birmingham Plastics Network, addressing the challenges of plastics pollution through a holistic interdisciplinary approach.

PhD (Professor of  Meteorology/climatology and extreme events, University of Birmingham)

Position in project: Collaborator

PhD, Professor of Medical Biostatistics, University of Birmingham 

Position in project: Collaborator and Expertise in cluster- RCT 

Prof. Karla Hemming, a Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, specializes in optimizing statistical efficiency and minimizing bias in cluster and stepped-wedge trials, addressing issues of time and treatment effect heterogeneity.

PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), PCAP, CStat, FHEA

Associate Professor, Biostatistics, University of Birmingham

Position in project: Statistician and lead in quantities study design, tools, database advice, statistical modelling, and analysis. Cluster- RCT co-lead 

Dr Alice Sitch, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Applied Health Research, focuses on designing and evaluating monitoring tests and studies of biological variability.

Clinical Trials Unit Database Manager Expert, University of Birmingham 

PhD, MSc, MBBS (Director of the Centre for Health Analytics Research and Trends, Trivedi School of Biosciences)

Position in Project: Impact Lead and Environmental Health Advisor

Programme manager, Doctors for You

Position in project: Lead for CEI in India and lead for WP 2

Position in Project: Lead in health systems research and Indian health system strengthening.

Institution: Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum

PhD, MSc, BSc (Associate Professor, University of Birmingham) 

Position in project: Joint-Lead CEI  and WP 2,7 with academic and professional CEI expertise. To help training India staff in CEI and capacity build in general for CEI. With India CEI Lead assist with organisation and delivery of CEI activities with project staff in UOB, India

Dr Steven Blackburn is a renowned leader in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), holding key roles regionally and nationally, facilitating co-production of research and embedding PPIE in various research activities.