Scientists team up to fight avoidable disease (From Oxford Mail)

Scientists team up to fight avoidable disease

5:20pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News

A NEW network of scientists across Europe has been launched in Oxford to help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease and diabetes.

Led by Oxford Brookes University academic Prof David Foxcroft, representatives from 32 universities and institutions got together at the Randolph Hotel, Beaumont Street, to hammer out details.

The aim is to improve research, train researchers and improve education on how to prevent such conditions.

Ultimately, the goal is to influence government policy, cut bad habits and make people healthier.

Prof Foxcroft, chair in community psychology and public health at the university, said: “Non-communicable diseases make up the greatest burden on health services and are the most significant cause of mortality and morbidity internationally.

“We don’t want people to smoke, to have poor diet, to have poor exercise patterns and we don’t want people to drink excessively.

“If we can achieve that through prevention, we can have a significant impact on the greatest burden on health and well-being in the modern age.”

The European Commission has given the network, the Science for Prevention Academic Network – or SPAN – £500,000 in funding. The grant is for three years, but the network will be ongoing.

The money will be spent on making sure research carried out across Europe is done effectively, is disseminated widely and passed on to those who can make a difference.