The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine recently hosted a delegation from the University of Miami to hold discussions on areas of potential collaboration in the Medical Sciences. The UM team included the University’s Provost and Executive Vice President, Dr. Louis Glaser and the Head of Epidemiology, Dr. Clyde McCoy.

This visit was the a follow up to an earlier visit in March, 2004 by a delegation from UWI led by Campus Principal Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie to the University of Miami where cooperation and collaboration across a wide range of Faculties and Departments were explored. Although student and faculty exchanges have already begun in the Social Sciences, the Medical Sciences seem to offer the most opportunities for collaboration.

During their visit to Trinidad, Dr. Glaser and Dr. McCoy held discussions with various representatives from the Faculty of Medical Sciences led by the Dean, Professor Phyllis Pitt-Miller.

During discussions, Researchers and Professors from the Faculty were grouped into research areas representing HIV / AIDS, Diabetes, Public Health and Family Medicine, Aging, E-Health and Postgraduate Exchange.

In order to translate the discussions into tangible initiatives, four specific research projects were identified for immediate development. These were in the areas of: Mosquito transmission of infectious disease; HIV / AIDS, Dentistry and Oral Medicine and Marine Toxins Research.

Researchers from both Universities will now meet to develop proposals for these specific initiatives. Simultaneously, other potential research projects will be explored through a process of discussion between partnering Researchers at each institution.