Glasgow Caledonian welcomes health minister Jenni Minto MSP

Glasgow Caledonian’s Principal Professor Steve Decent was delighted to welcome Scotland’s Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto MSP to our Glasgow campus today. The Minister was on campus to learn more about the University’s ground-breaking Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Research Programme.

Following introductions, the Minister held discussions with the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Research Professor Andrea Nelson and Professors Claudia Estcourt and Sharon Hutchinson, who lead the BBV programme, and other team members.

The Blood Borne Virus Prevention Team in the University’s School of Health and Life Sciences’ Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), are at the forefront of international work to reduce the impact of HIV and other blood borne viruses.

Their award-winning research into patterns of infection and how to prevent them is key to achieving the Scottish Government’s ambitious target to end transmission of HIV in Scotland by 2030.

In June, the team won Research Project of the Year at The Herald Higher Education Awards.

The University has announced that it is investing £2.5m over 10 years in a new Beyond BBV – Drawing a line under HIV and Hep C research programme, working in collaboration with the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland.

Welcoming the Minister, Professor Decent said: “We were delighted to welcome Jenni Minto MSP to our campus to meet our fantastic Blood Borne Virus Prevention Team and find out more about their crucially important research. Glasgow Caledonian really is at the forefront of helping Scotland achieve its ambitious target to end transmission of HIV by 2030.”

Ms Minto said: “I was pleased to meet with leaders and members of the Blood Borne Virus Prevention Team at Glasgow Caledonian University to hear first-hand about their ground-breaking research. Their work makes a vital contribution to tackling blood borne viruses in Scotland.

“I look forward to working with the University as we move towards achieving our ambitious goals for hepatitis C and HIV transmission elimination in the years ahead.”