Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM

27/08/2026

A 12-year study of endangered chimpanzees in Uganda has revealed persistent schistosomiasis infections, highlighting the need for long-term disease surveillance to protect endangered wildlife.

Researchers from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and international partners worked closely with Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and research facility in Lake Victoria to follow almost 50 rescued chimpanzees.

Despite annual treatment with praziquantel, chimpanzees continued to be reinfected. The findings suggest that treatment alone is unlikely to protect animals living in areas where schistosomiasis is endemic.

Led by Dr Alexandra Juhász, the research will inform conservation efforts in Africa and beyond by emphasising the need for a One Health approach that combines more frequent treatment, regular health monitoring, and environmental management.

Professor Russell Stothard, senior author of the study, said: “This is the first time anywhere in the world that schistosomiasis infections have been followed in chimpanzees over such a long period.”

Read more:

A 12-year LSTM study in Uganda reveals persistent schistosomiasis and progressive liver damage in endangered chimpanzees, despite annual treatment.

24/08/2026

Join our online information session on Wednesday 9 September, 12.00 to 12.30pm BST, to find out more about LSTM’s Professional Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTMH).

Hear from course Co-Directors Dr Sylviane Defres and Rocio Villacorta Linaza about what you’ll study, how flexible online learning works and whether the programme could be right for you.

The next online DTMH starts in January 2027.

Register for the information session: https://lstmed.ac.uk/news/diploma-in-tropical-medicine-and-hygiene-information-session/

21/08/2026

El Niño is dominating UK headlines this morning, with the Met Office warning that the developing event could be the largest in more than a century.

We first published this article in June, when the World Meteorological Organization put the chance of El Niño developing at 80%. It has since arrived, and the outlook has strengthened considerably.

Extreme heat, drought, flooding and heavy rainfall can place enormous pressure on health systems, particularly in communities already facing poverty, conflict and stretched resources.

Researchers at LSTM’s Institute for Resilient Health Systems are working with partners around the world to understand how health systems can prepare, continue delivering essential care and recover from these shocks.

Read the updated article:

With a potentially record El Niño now developing, LSTM researchers are helping health systems in Malawi, Nepal, Zimbabwe and beyond prepare for climate shocks.

12/08/2026

The first systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationship between menstrual cup use, vaginal health and laboratory-confirmed infections has found that menstrual cups are associated with a healthier vaginal microbiome and lower rates of some infections.

The study, led by researchers from LSTM and RUSH University, USA, found that across five studies, menstrual cup users had a 21% lower prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) than non-cup users. Menstrual cup users were also significantly more likely to have high levels of Lactobacillus crispatus, a protective bacterium known to reduce the risk of vaginal dysbiosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Find out more:

The first systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationship between menstrual cup use, vaginal health and laboratory-confirmed infections has found that menstrual cups are associated with a healthier vaginal microbiome and lower rates of some infections.

08/08/2026

Our September 2026 short courses are now live and available to apply for on our website.
Our professional development courses offer opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement to support your career. Take a look and see which one is right for you.

Parasitology for Haematologists
On-campus, in Liverpool 3 September (1 day)

An intensive update on the morphology and diagnostic aspects of all human malaria and other blood parasites. The course has CPD approval by The Royal College of Pathologists for six CPD credits.

Apply now: https://lstm.ac/PH

Fundamentals of Implementation Science
Online, flexible starts 21 September for eight weeks

Highlighting commonly used theories, models and frameworks in implementation science, you’ll study the distinction between what is implemented, what constitutes outcomes in implementation research and how we make sense of influential contextual factors. You’ll find out what is needed to support the implementation of evidence-based practice in the real world by dispelling common misconceptions.

Apply now: https://lstm.ac/FIS

Combined Essentials of TB and HIV
On-campus, in Liverpool 28 September – 5 October 2025 (8 days)

This course is for health professionals looking for an update on the core principles of TB and HIV epidemiology and control as well as updates on clinical syndromes and their management and the use of antiretrovirals and programming for HIV prevention and treatment. Course content is updated every six months.

Apply now: https://lstm.ac/CETBHIV

Essentials of TB Epidemiology, Clinical Management and Control
On-campus, in Liverpool 28 September – 1 October 2025 (4 days)

Suitable for those seeking a refresher course on the core principles of TB epidemiology and control. Course content is updated every six months in line with new developments.

Apply now: https://lstm.ac/ETBPCMC

Travel Vaccinations: Principles and Practice
Online, from 28 September (4 weeks)

Part of our Professional Diploma in Travel Health this module will benefit you if you are a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or travel or health expedition health professional. You’ll gain competence in travel health consultations, be able to recommend relevant vaccines and summarise components including dose, route, schedule, side effects and efficacy from the first day of the course.

Apply now: https://lstm.ac/TVPP

06/08/2026

A new cohort study from South Africa highlights the high burden of comorbidities among people with tuberculosis (TB) and their significant contribution to mortality.

The study followed 1,997 adults with pulmonary TB across two provinces and examined the prevalence of five key TB-related comorbidities as identified by World Health Organization (WHO): HIV infection, diabetes, smoking, undernutrition, and alcohol use disorders.

Findings showed that 86% of participants had at least one comorbidity, while 48% were living with two or more. Multimorbidity was found to explain 60% of mortality among people with TB.

The risk of death increased substantially with the number of comorbidities present, with mortality reaching 16% among those with two comorbidities and 20% among those with three or more.

Find out more: https://lstm.ac/SA-multimorbidity-study

05/08/2026

Climate change isn't a future health threat. It's a present one.

Heat, flooding, food insecurity, disease outbreaks put pressure on health systems and health workers. The REACT Consortium is working in Nepal and Zimbabwe to strengthen health workforce capacity in the face of climate and health crises.

REACT is co-creating responses that work in real health systems with the people closest to the challenge and testing practical interventions in rural and urban settings. Working to build workforce and community resilience and give researchers, health workers, and partner organisations the skills and evidence to act.

Find out more: https://lstm.ac/REACT

04/08/2026

Chevening Scholarships are now open for application for September 2027 entry.

If you can demonstrate the potential to become a future leader or decision-maker, influencing those in your chosen field, you can apply for a Chevening Scholarship and join students who have benefited from a transformative academic experience in the UK.

To find about more about eligibility criteria and the application process, visit our website: https://lstm.ac/chevening

Here Warda Ahmed, one of our successful Chevening Scholars studying for a Master of Public Health (Sexual and Reproductive Health), talks about the process and gives some advice to those who have applied previously.

The closing date for Chevening Scholarship applications for 2027 entry is much earlier than in previous years. The deadline for September 2027 entry is 6 October 2026. The full application timeline is available on the Chevening website.

31/07/2026

Could new antivenom research transform the treatment of snakebite?

A new 10-minute film from Sky News explores the race to develop safer and more effective treatments for snakebite.

It features Professor Nicholas Casewell and colleagues from LSTM’s Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, alongside Professor Andreas Laustsen-Kiel and his team at DTU - Technical University of Denmark

The film highlights how international collaboration and innovative science could improve treatment for communities most affected by snakebite.

Watch

For over a century, the world's only treatment for snakebite has re...

29/07/2026

LSTM has been ranked 2nd overall in the UK in the 2026 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES), marking our third consecutive year in the national top five.

We received outstanding results across multiple categories including 1st for student support, dissertation support and online learning resources. The survey also highlighted the strength of our student experience across diverse groups, ranking LSTM 1st nationally for overseas students.

We were also ranked 2nd for teaching, student engagement and on-campus resources, with these latest results building on our growing reputation for educational excellence as one of the UK’s leading destinations for postgraduate study in global and public health.

Find out more: https://lstm.ac/PTES-survey-2026