Brian Greenwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Brian Greenwood
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Brian Mellor Greenwood
1938 (age 86–87) |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Occupation | Physician, biomedical research scientist |
Sir Brian Mellor Greenwood, born in 1938, is a British doctor and scientist. He is known for his important work in medical research. He also received the very first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize.
Sir Brian is a professor of tropical medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This means he teaches and studies diseases that are common in hot, tropical parts of the world.
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Fighting Malaria: Sir Brian's Research
Sir Brian Greenwood has spent his career working to stop the effects of malaria. Malaria is a serious disease spread by mosquitoes. He worked for ten years in Nigeria and fifteen years in the Gambia. In these places, he led the Medical Research Council Laboratories. His main focus was malaria and other infections, like those caused by a type of germ called meningococcus.
Challenges in Malaria Treatment
Malaria has been very hard to control and treat. Sir Brian saw this firsthand in West Africa. Many promising new medicines for malaria have not worked as well as hoped, which has been frustrating.
Simple Ways to Prevent Malaria
Even though finding a good vaccine for malaria has been difficult, Sir Brian has always pushed for simpler ways to prevent the disease. He has been a leader in encouraging people to use special mosquito nets. These nets are treated with chemicals and protect people from malaria-carrying mosquitoes while they sleep.
Sir Brian was made a knight in 2012 for his important work on malaria research in Africa. This is a special honour given by the Queen.
Awards and Recognitions
Sir Brian Greenwood has received many awards for his work:
- 1977 – Chalmers Medal from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
- 1987 – He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
- 1991 – Donald Mackay Medal from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
- 1993 – He received an honorary doctorate from Uppsala University in Sweden.
- 1995 – Adesuyi Prize from the West African Health Community.
- 2001 – Manson Medal from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
- 2008 – He won the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize for Medical Research.
- 2011 – He was made a Knight Bachelor by the Queen.
- 2012 – He received the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award.
The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
The Japanese Government created the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in July 2006. This award celebrates great achievements in fighting diseases in Africa or setting up new medical systems. The prize was announced when the Prime Minister of Japan visited Africa in May 2006. It also marked 80 years since Dr. Noguchi passed away.
The first awards were given out in April 2008 in Yokohama, Japan. This was at a big meeting called the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Yokohama was chosen because Dr. Noguchi worked there in 1899 as a doctor at the port.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda, gave Sir Brian his award. The Emperor and Empress of Japan were also there, along with many leaders from African countries.
Sir Brian Greenwood was honoured in the Medical Research part of the prize. His speech was about "Malaria elimination – Is it possible?"
The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize includes a special certificate, a medal, and 100 million Japanese yen (which was about US$843,668 at the time). This prize is given out every five years. It is funded by the Japanese government and private donations.
