During a lecture on how to build an impactful research career, Professor Saad B. Omer, MBBS ’98, PhD urged young health scientists to stay focused on the ‘big picture’ in healthcare.
The alumnus, a professor of global health, epidemiology and paediatrics at Emory University in Atlanta, called on students to anticipate what the biggest healthcare challenges are likely to be and to always consider how research findings can be applied to improve policy.
“Keep thinking about where you can make an impact. Don’t be afraid to look at opportunities that cross into different areas or that extend beyond your department,” Professor Omer told students.
During his speech, he added that many health scientists limit their potential impact by focusing on areas that are popular with funding agencies. Instead of only being focused on obtaining grants, he urged students to get involved in high impact areas even if it meant working unpaid.
Sharing examples from his own career, Professor Omer described how he volunteered to be part of an innovative team investigating the benefits of vaccinating pregnant women against influenza, a disease which threatens the lives of many newborns in the developing world. The
2008 study in Bangladesh was the first randomised controlled trial looking into the efficacy of immunizing mothers against the disease in order to protect their infants.
Findings demonstrated that the vaccine could be effective in protecting infants from the disease which led to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funding further trials in Nepal, Mali, and South Africa. The research generated evidence that the vaccine successfully protected neonates from the disease which led to its introduction in many countries around the world.
In recognition of his impact, Professor Omer received the Young Investigator Award from America’s Paediatrics Infectious Disease Society in 2013 with judges stating that he and his colleagues work’ on maternal immunization had “influenced national and international policy and practice regarding both seasonal and pandemic influenza.”
In his lecture, Professor Omer also shared how he is a strong advocate for immunization and frequently writes editorials highlighting the dangers of vaccine refusal and ways to improve healthcare policy in this area. He believes that researchers must engage in public advocacy so that they can use evidence to debunk myths that can threaten public health.
“If scientists don’t engage in public scholarship, they risk leaving a void that can then be filled with half-baked knowledge. Society benefits from informed discourse that is grounded in evidence and it is our responsibility to contribute to the public health discourse,” he added.
He also spoke about his research on vaccines against other diseases such as polio, pertussis, measles and pneumococcal diseases.
Professor Omer was visiting Karachi to discuss a collaborative research project on respiratory syncytial virus with Dr Asad Ali, associate professor in paediatrics and child health at AKU.